


Long road to Sucess

by poeticaid



Series: Long Road to Success [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Character Study, Cutting, Depression, F/F, F/M, I hate myself, Kinda, M/M, Masochism, Well - Freeform, because self indulgent, everyone is obsessed, human keebo, i finished this in my other fanfic site, idk anymore, it's not really inspired by cosmic poet but motivated me to finally write it, keebo and shirogane are siblings, kokichi got blackmailed for some dumb reason, leon is shuichi's father, pre-game, read it or something, this is just a random fic that came from my brain, though it's garbage i'm proud of it, virtual simulation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-01 15:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 30,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14523942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poeticaid/pseuds/poeticaid
Summary: His hands were trembling as he heard the volume of the Danganronpa episode playing louder. He then heard Rantaro's voice."You've got to believe me! I'm not the murderer!" It was the same, familiar voice, but draped with panic and fear.Kokichi ate his dinner in silence, trying to ignore the noise downstairs. His tears started streaming from his face. Probably because he keeps hearing Rantaro's voice over and over again. Kokichi wanted to see him again. He finished his dinner and wiped his eyes. He then went downstairs to wash his plate.Kokichi Ouma hated Danganronpa. He hates it with a burning passion. As Team Danganronpa works for its fifty-third season, there's only one thing they need: characters. Kokichi was pressured to join by Kaede and Kaito. And there he was, sitting in a pod, watching the others press the lids of the pods to conceal them to the virtual world.He's still there.





	1. Daily Life

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Heaven's Gate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13438602) by [cosmicpoet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicpoet/pseuds/cosmicpoet). 



> I already finished this fic, but I decided to share it with you. So yeah. I wasn';t inspired by cosmicpoet's Heaven's Gate, but was rather motivated by it. You see, after v3's ending, I had this idea of making a fanfiction about the outside world and their pregame personalities. I tried to avoid the idea, because everytime I write something I lost motivation. But then cosmicpoet uploaded Heaven's Gate, and I absolutely loved it, and started to write my first chapter. It was the first fanfic I made on my old fanfic site, and it was the most popular too, with over 600 reads. Thank you cosmicpoet for motivating me into writing this chapter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The bastards who created this game to toy with our lives...and the shits enjoying it... They all...piss me off! Th-That's why...I'm willing to do whatever it takes...to end this game!"  
> \- Kokichi Ouma, Chapter 5

Kokichi locks himself in a bathroom stall, blocking the stall with his back, crying. There was a loud noise from the bathroom door, followed by a voice.

 

"Leave that fucking bathroom stall, ya pussy." A bang on the bathroom stall in where Kokichi was staying in made the boy stumble.

 

_Momota Kaito,_ Kokichi thought, panic in his breath. Another loud bang. He blocked the bathroom door again. Momota Kaito was one of his school bullies. He pressures Kokichi to do things he hated. The other was Kaede. That girl had no faith in humanity, and blackmails people to do her bidding.

 

Kokichi whimpered, panicking as another bang-much louder this time- rang outside his bathroom stall. Fortunately, for him, the school bell rang, signaling the start of the day. Kaito grunted from outside the stall, as Kokichi sighed of relief.

 

"You win this time, ya stupid pussy", Kaito said, and Kokichi heard a door slamming shut.

 

Cautiously, he opened the bathroom door an inch, peeking outside, to see if the coast was clear. He closed the bathroom stall again, and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He then opened the bathroom door and walked out, looking around. Many students were already picking their books and notebooks from their lockers, and some were already going to their classes. Kokichi silently walked, trying not to attract everyone's attention. It didn't work.

 

They all looked at him, their eyes filled with taunting looks. Kokichi walked faster, looking at the floors. He was known as the only person who hated Danganronpa. Kokichi never understood why they liked it in the first place. Kokichi watched the first two shows, and found them traumatizing and horrible. The actors-victims- were all traumatized after they were finished in their roles.

 

Kokichi finally found his locker, unlocking the code of it. He then arranged his books and notebooks, put his backpack in, took out the needed materials for his class, and closed the locker, locking it. He sighed.

 

"Hey, Ouma." A familiar voice said, and a smile crept up from Kokichi's face. He turned to the voice.

 

"Hi, Maki." One of his only friends, Maki was paranoid. She was afraid of doing anything extreme, and is afraid of dying. But that can't be changed, can it? Maki was on her phone, probably watching Danganronpa in its fifty-second season.

 

Kokichi flinched. He only knew one character in the fifty-second season: Rantaro Amami. He was his best friend, even though he was also obsessed with Danganronpa. He sacrificed his well-being to be in that season.

 

"Um, what chapter are you on now?", he asked, walking with Maki, since they both have the same first period.

 

"The fourth trial", Maki said, not looking up from her phone. "Rantaro is the prime suspect of the murder."

 

The walk to their classroom was silent.

 

~~~

 

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the school. Kokichi hurried to his locker, only to find it open, with some of his books torn, and his backpack missing. He stared at the mess, then started to clean his locker. There's only one person who knows everyone's pass codes for their lockers: Keebo. Keebo's an obscure person, and works for Kaito. He knows everything, and no one knows what he looks like and what his last name is.

 

Kokichi cursed, accidentally cutting his hand with a hidden cutter. Probably Kaito put it here when Keebo unlocked it. He sucked the blood from his finger, cringing as he tasted the copper taste. As Kokichi was cleaning his locker, pulling out torn pages and ball pens that spilled ink, he saw a piece of paper on the ground. It was covered with ink, but Kokichi can make the words out clearly.

 

_Your backpack's in the bathroom._

 

Kokichi dropped the paper, then raced to the nearest bathroom. He opened the door, and all he saw was an empty bathroom. He then looked from stall after stall, then finally, the last. He opened the bathroom stall, only to widen his eyes from shock. His backpack was in the toilet, and there were also some valuable things he can't save in there. Like, his essays and projects. Hesitating, he put his hand in the toilet and got his backpack.

 

The black-haired boy opened the now wet backpack and started to check if his projects will now be ruined. Luckily, he kept his projects in a plastic folder. Unluckily, he has to buy a new backpack. He sighed, throwing his bag in the trash, and went back to his locker. He picked up the books and notebooks he needed, and carried them.

 

Maki and Angie were waiting for Kokichi in the school exit. He waved at them, signaling that he's here, but the effect if it was books falling to the ground. Maki and Angie saw him, and ran over to Kokichi and helped him carry his books.

 

"Where is your backpack?", Angie asked in her French accent.

 

"Let me guess: Kaito", Maki deadpanned. Kokichi bit his lip and nodded a yes. Angie sighed.

 

Angie started the car, and Maki and Kokichi rode with her. Kokichi always asked for a ride from Angie, since they both lived on the same street. It was silent drive, until they were nearing their destination. Maki left a while ago, so it's just Kokichi and Angie.

 

"Kokichi... they're not troubling you, right?", Angie asked, focused on the road. Kokichi rolled his eyes.

 

"It's obvious that they're fucking with me",Kokichi said.

 

Angie gasped, briefly looking at Kokichi before her eyes were back to looking at the road again.

 

"Don't say the 'f' word!", she exclaimed. Kokichi just smiled mischievously.

 

"You sound like Miu", he said, putting his arms behind him.

 

He relaxed, crossing his legs as he leaned back into the car seat, ignoring Angie's scolding. Kokichi closed his eyes.

 

Angie woke him up an hour later, telling him that he's already in front of his house. Kokichi sighed, arranging all his books and notebooks, carrying them into his house. He opened the door, to see his parents with their phones. Kokichi sighed. He didn't need to ask; he already knows it's Danganronpa. _Danganronpa, Danganronpa, Danganronpa._

 

He puts his books down the couch, greeting his parents in the process. They waved absently. Kokichi just wanted a normal family, normal friends, normal school, a normal world. Oh well, nothing he can do to change the Danganronpa crazed-world.

 

"Your dinner's already on the table", his mother said. Kokichi looked at the table.

 

Sure enough, there was a plate filled with vegetables and rice. Kokichi went to the dining room and sat on one of the empty chairs. Dinner was always like this in the Ouma house. His parents only eat their dinners after they finished a chapter of Danganronpa. The last time he saw them eat, was about two days ago. Most of the time, he was always alone at the table, eating his food quietly. At least his parents still attend to their responsibilities.

 

He chewed on his rice slowly, eyeing his parents' phones. His father's phone's screen went black, and his father muttered a curse from under his breath. Must mean that his cellphone's dead. His father then turned the TV on, and flicked it to the only channel in television: the Daganronpa channel. His mother also put her cellphone down, to resume watching in the telivision. Kokichi then gripped his plate and went upstairs to his room.

 

His hands were trembling as he heard the volume of the Danganronpa episode playing louder. He then heard Rantaro's voice.

 

"You've got to believe me! I'm not the murderer!" It was the same, familiar voice, but draped with panic and fear.

 

Kokichi ate his dinner in silence, trying to ignore the noise downstairs. His tears started streaming from his face. Probably because he keeps hearing Rantaro's voice over and over again. Kokichi wanted to see him again. He finished his dinner and wiped his eyes. He then went downstairs to wash his plate.

 

He looked at the TV, which was showing an execution. His heart stopped. He tried tearing his eyes off the television screen, but his brain ignored him. Hot tears were running from his eyes during the execution. Kokichi wiped his eyes after the execution was over and continued to wash his plate. His father shook his head after the execution was over.

 

"They were my favorite character", he said, shaking his head, wiping his eyes. Kokichi assumed he was crying as well.

 

"I knew that they were the criminal", his mother said.

 

At least Rantaro was still alive, he thought, drying his plate and putting it on the sink. He again went upstairs to lie on his bed. His bedroom was plain, clean. Devoid of personality. From what he had seen in Maki's and Angie's rooms, they were huge Danganronpa fans. They had plushies of that... bear in their shelves, posters of characters in every single season, etc. There were few people who watched other series other than Danganronpa?

 

Kokichi hugged his pillow, whimpering as he recalled the execution. He can't sleep tonight. Why did he watch it, again?

 

~~~

 

"Kokichi, your breakfast is ready!", his mother called him downstairs.

 

Kokichi opened his eyes, which were filled with tears the night before. He wiped his eyes and got dressed. He went downstairs to see his mother and father eating like normal people. Kokichi sat parallel to them, and ate his breakfast, ignoring the small talk his parents made about the chapter.

 

"Next chapter will be launched by tomorrow", his father said. His mother sighed impatiently.

 

_By tomorrow?_ This was the longest time Danganronpa has taken a break. Sometimes the next chapter would always happen right after the last, or the next day.

 

He finished his breakfast and washed his plate. He then went to the bathroom to take a shower, then dressed in his school clothes after he'd dried himself. As he combed his hair, a horn blew from the outside. It was Angie's car. He then carried his books to the front door, until being stopped by his mother, who gave him a sling bag.

 

"Don't carry your books like that", she said, smiling. Kokichi smiled back and waved at his parents, entering the car.

He sat beside Maki, who had her headphones on, looking bored. Whenever Danganronpa's taking too long to release a chapter, the whole world goes bored. Angie also looked bored, and so does the boy sitting beside her. Kokichi stared at the boy, wondering who he is.

 

"His name is Keebo, if you're all asking", Angie said in a stoic voice, putting her gear on drive. Kokichi flinched. He looked at the boy from the rear view mirror. He had a cap on his head, obscuring most of his face. Kokichi noticed, however, that Keebo had metallic blue eyes and spiky blonde hair. Keebo looked at him from the rearview mirror, catching his eye. Kokichi squeaked in surprise and turned to Maki.

 

Maki removed her headphones and using her feet, pointed one of her shoes to Kokichi's sling bag. Kokichi told her that his mother gave it to him. Maki nodded, and put on her headphones again. Angie turned to Keebo.

 

"How did you feel about the execution?", she asked, her eyes lighting up. Kokichi notices this happening with either Maki or Angie. When they talk about Danganronpa, this shit happens.

 

Keebo bit his lips, hesitating. "It was... heartbreaking." Angie then asked Maki about the execution. Maki said that it was a good riddance for such a stupid character.

 

Keebo and Kokichi were silent as Angie and Maki argued over a fictional character. But wait. If Rantaro, a real person was in the game, does that mean those people are real too? Kokichi shuddered at that thought.

 

Angie finally stopped the car, parking it a distance from the school. Kokichi left the car, followed by Maki then Angie. Kokichi saw Keebo a meter away from them, slowly walking and looking at the ground.

 

They then went to the back of the school. Kokichi didn't know why Keebo joined them. It was his first time meeting this boy. They avoid the front of the school because Kaito and Kaede, with some of their gang, waits for them there. They chose the harder way: climbing up metal fences.

 

Angie handed each of them gloves, so the gloves would protect their skin from wounds. Angie mentioned the precautions daily, and they got to climb. Kokichi struggled climbing, Maki stopped every ten seconds to grip on the fence tighter and breathe, praying that she won't fall to her death, and Angie was singing as she makes her way to the top. Kokichi looked at Keebo, who was right beside him, climbing.

 

"Why did you ride in Angie's car?", he asked.

 

"Angie and I are housemates", Keebo said. Kokichi went silent and climbed.

 

Why didn't Angie mention Keebo up until today?

 

"If you are asking, I have requested Angie to keep silent about our house sharing." Keebo held the metal fence with one hand and with his free hand, fixed his baby blue sweater and cap. "Also, Kaito forgot about picking me up today, so I asked Angie."

 

Finally, they made it inside the school gardens, and took off their gloves and handed them to Angie. Maki had scrapes on her legs. Angie took out a first aid kit from her school bag and started cleaning her wounds. Kokichi held Maki's hand as Maki began to ramble about how she's going to die. Keebo was a distance away from them, watching them in the distance.

 

The school was in silence, as the students and staff were blankly staring at their phones, waiting for Danganronpa chapter five. The world was empty when waiting for Danganronpa. Why can't the world have other preferences besides Danganronpa?

 

Kokichi said goodbye to Angie (and Keebo) and went to his locker with Maki. He opened his locker and put his sling bag in it, after getting the needed notebook and book for their first period. It's a safe day today. Whenever they're all waiting for another chapter, Kaito and Kaede weren't really creative and just sulk around with their phones all day.

 

"How are you feeling, Maki?", he asked Maki. The red eyed girl rubbed her eyes.

 

"I'm fine", she said. "The orphanage really kept me up last night."

 

They walked together, and went to the classroom of their period.

 

~

 

Rantaro clasped his hands together in anticipation, nervously staring at the walls. The victim was okay, the killer was okay. Just a little traumatized.

 

Just a little traumatized.

 

It's just a virtual world, right? But he saw his classmate's faces. It was filled with terror. The door opened, and a girl with blue hair and blue eyes entered. Rantaro looked at her.

 

"Tsumugi", he whispered, words light. The girl just smiled, and sat down next to him.

 

"It's lunch time", she whispered soothingly. Wait. Why were they whispering? Rantaro blinked, then remembered his friend's execution. It made his ears rang at how ear bleeding it was. So there they were; whispering to each other.

 

"I'll be right there", Rantaro croaked. Tsumugi nodded and opened the door, waving goodbye to Rantaro. The green-haired boy smiled back.

 

His smile faded as Tsumugi closed the door. He buried his face in his hands. Why did he sign up for the killing game again? His mind recalled the first time he'd been here, auditioning for Danganronpa. He had been so eager back then, no care for the world.

 

_"I want to be called the Ultimate Adventurer. I'll be one of the best people you can ever count on!"_ His past self said, staring up at the camera.

 

Slowly, he stood up from the chair he was sitting in, and walked to the door with a limp. He made his way to the dining hall with the others. All if them had faces of terror, sadness, fear. They might all be thinking: This isn't the Danganronpa I fell in love with. Rantaro sat down beside Tsumugi, who was busily making some sort of craft, and also eating her lunch.

 

Rantaro stared at the girl. How can she eat without seeing her friends' dead faces? He took a plate and started to pile it with food, and ate small portions of it. The others just looked at their foods. Tsumugi looked at them with a delightful smile. How can she still have that delightful smile? Rantaro wondered.

 

"Guys, we might not eat for the next two days!", she said. "Come on now, eat!" For some reason, the others started eating.

 

A few more hours before the killing game resumes. A few more hours before they were forced back to those fucking pods. A few more hours before their terror begins again.

 

~

 

Kokichi closed his book, as the teacher blankly stated that class was dismissed. He made a beeline for the door, then to the hallway. After tracking down his locker, he was surprised to find Keebo there, putting things inside his locker. Kokichi decided to ignore him, and it worked. Keebo was called by Tenko, one of Kaede's lackeys. Keebo followed her to the cafeteria.

 

"Kokichi." Maki purposefully bumped into the black haired boy. Kokichi smiled at her, as they made their way to their own table. Angie, Shuichi, and Himiko were already there. Kokichi greeted them one by one, before sitting down between Angie and Maki. Angie and Shuichi seemed to have a conversation as Kokichi unpacked his lunch.

 

"I suggest a sleepover!", Angie said ethusiastically. "We will be waiting for the next chapter of Danganronpa!" Kokichi flinched. Himiko seemed to notice that.

 

"But there's one person here who doesn't like Danganronpa", Himiko mentioned.

 

"What if, while waiting for Danganronpa, we can do fun stuff?", Shuichi suggested. "To get Kokichi's mind off of Danganronpa."

 

Kokichi shook his head. "It's fine, it's fine, I can watch Danganronpa with you. I just have to close my eyes when they're in the scary parts."

 

Shuichi scoffed. "The killings would be shown the next morning."

 

"Ah, okay." They started talking about how they were going to spend the night. Himiko said that they can sleepover in her house. Shuichi said he can bring the food and drinks. Maki said she would bring speakers and music. Angie would bring 'other stuff'. Kokichi blinked.

 

"What other stuff?", he asked. Angie giggled. "It's a secret!", she said in a sing-song voice, her silver hair swaying around.

 

~

 

Rantaro watched the clock. He watched the pendulum sway back and forth, his eyes following the cycle. He clasped his hands and looked away from the clock. He stared at the other people, who were rubbing their hands nervously or silently crying. Tsumugi was the only one who seemed happy, even though there's at least five more hours until they go back to that horrid virtual world. Rantaro's stomach churned.

 

He regrets leaving his simple, boring life for this killing game. He dug his nails to his palms, biting his lower lip. He remembered that he fought with his own best friend, Kokichi. He dug his nails deeper into his palms, remembering Kokichi. He was a timid yet nice person, but he had left him. He felt pain on his right hand, but the pain was numb. It wasn't as bad as what he had done to himself.

 

Really, what happened to him? It wasn't Monokuma's fault to begin with, it was their fault. Their fault that they were in the killing game the first place.

 

Anger bubbled up inside him. He gritted his teeth, and immediately stood up. He unlocked the door of the prisoner, only to meet up with another person. The same person that was executed in the fourth trial. His eyes were sunken in, and it looks like he had been crying. Rantaro waved, but the boy didn't address him.

 

"At least you're not in the killing game anymore", Rantaro said blankly. "Jataro, how are you feeling?"

 

Jataro blinked, then hugged Rantaro, crying in his shoulder. Rantaro hugged him back, burying his head on Jataro's shoulders.

 

Jataro was a character from Danganronpa 2.5 that was way back when. Jataro was about eleven at that time, and right now, was about twenty years old.

 

"I just want another role in the story", the blonde croaked. Rantaro stayed silent and comforted Jataro.

 

Why did he come back?

 

Rantaro never wanted to set foot in that virtual reality. Never. But he was required to. 

 

~

Kokichi told his parents about their sleepover tonight. They seemed delighted that their son was spending time with his friends. Kokichi packed his pillows, a blanket, and some clothes. He sat outside, sitting on a porch, waiting for Angie's car. Some minutes later, he heard the familiar sound of Angie's car's horn. Slinging his bag over his shoulders, he raced to the car. But Angie wasn't the one driving the car.

"K-keebo?", Kokichi said, stunned at the blonde boy that was seated in front of the steering wheel. He looked at him with an indifferent look on his face.

"Angie has asked me to pick you up", Keebo explained.

Keebo started driving. Also, did Kokichi mentioned that Keebo fucking sucks at driving? Kokichi had to hold on to his bag and seat for dear life as Keebo swerved to the streets at a high speed. Kokichi bumped his head on the car window after Keebo (barely) avoided a passing cat.

"JESUS CHRIST, KEEBO!", Kokichi shouted,  fixing his seat belt across his waist. He realized that he just shouted at one of the most popular people in school. He lowered his eyes.

"Sorry." He hoped Keebo heard it from the screeching of the tires and the horns.

They finally arrived at Himiko's house, Keebo parking near her house. Kokichi was baffled that Keebo followed him inside Himiko's house. Kokichi rang the doorbell, and Himiko in a witch hat answered, opening the door.

"Kokichi!", she said with a smile on her face, she then saw Keebo and started sweating. "H-hi, Keebo..."

Himiko started showing them in her house. The others were upstairs. 

"What are they doing there?", Keebo asked.

Himiko smiled mischievously. "Putting piercings, coloring hair, dress up, mascara and other stuff Angie brought." Kokichi arched his brow.

So that's what Angie brought? Kokichi thought as they made their way upstairs. The laughing grew nearer, and Kokichi obviously thought they were enjoying themselves. The laughing grew louder and louder, and the source of it was in one of the guest rooms. Himiko opened the door.

The whole room was already a mess. With paint and glitter flowing everywupuphere, and the smell of nail polish lingered in the room. Angie was seated next to Maki and Shuichi, who were laughing. Angie waved her arms in the air.

"And then I said to my mother, 'Fuck off you shitty Christian'", she said. "Then she disowned me, and I flipped her the bird."

Kokichi snorted. Angie was born from Christian parents, and they weren't fond of queer people. In that case, Angie. Angie came out of the closet a year ago, claiming that she was bi. This caused an argument in the Yonaga house, and they kicked Angie out.

"Guys, Kokichi and Keebo are here", Himiko announced, and caught everyone's attention. Angie walked up to Kokichi and gave him a hug, and she did the same thing to Keebo.

"What brings you here, Keebo?", she asked, after hugging him.

"Do not worry, I'm only here because I want to talk to Himiko", Keebo answered, then turned to face Himiko. "About our project."

"Oh. Ok. We can discuss it in my bedroom", Himiko said. Maki smirked.

"Discussing? In Himiko's room? What are you playing?", Maki teased. Himiko didn't seem to notice, but Keebo did.

"Please!", he said, blushing. "I am just here to discuss the project with her!" 

Shuichi and Angie laughed, and Maki smirked. Kokichi smiled and snickered at Keebo's blushing face. Himiko was super confused. Himiko and Keebo left the room, leaving Kokichi, Angie, Maki, and Shuichi in the room. Angie looked at the clock.

"Two more hours before chapter five of Danganronpa", Angie announced. Kokichi gulped.

Oh yeah. They weren't really here to enjoy a nice sleepover, but also watch the newest chapter of Danganronpa. He gulped, an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Angie called for him to join them, and he swallowed those feelings down. He went to join them, sitting beside Maki.

"I have mascara!", Angie said, digging into her makeup case. "Who wants to try?" Shuichi raised his hand.

"I want to", he said in his soft voice. "Probably would make my face uglier." Kokichi cringed at his statement. Shuichi was self-depreciating, probably because of Kaede. He was also suicidal, as he tried to jump from the fence as they climbed to school. Angie caught him in time. Shuichi was asked to go to school in the front.

Angie agreed. She opened her makeup kit and pulled out a mascara kit (how does this work) and started to do Shuichi's eyes (how). Maki held onto her phone and Kokichi watched awkwardly. Angie was done, and Shuichi had mascara on under his eyes.

"Kokichi, would you like to have eyeliner?", Angie asked. Kokichi shook his head rapidly. Angie thought for a moment. "What about hair dye?"

Kokichi blinked. He always wanted to dye his hair, but he's afraid his parents would say no.

"I want to, but let me call my parents first", Kokichi replied, pulling his phone out of his pockets and contacted his parents, going out of the room and closing the door.

His cellphone rang, and after a few seconds, he heard the voice of his father. "Hello." Kokichi gulped and rehearsed his sentences inside his head.

"Hi, Dad. It's me." His mother then asked who was calling them, and his father told her it was Kokichi.

"Hello, Kokichi. Why are you calling?", his father asked.

"Um, nothing happened bad." Kokichi paused, his lips dry and mind blank. He again rehearsed his sentence. "But, I really want to dye my hair. It's okay if you don't approve."

Silence in theother line. Kokichi's heart raced. After what seemed like a few minutes, his father's voice was clear at the end of the other line again.

"Kokichi", he began, and the boy gulped. "We've been waiting for you to socialize with others. If you want to color your hair, go do it. We just hope that when you come home the hair dye won't look like garbage."

Kokichi felt like crying. He blinked rapidly, trying to make his tears go away. "T-thank you, dad, mom." His parents said goodbye and they hung up. Kokichi went back to the room.

"My parents said it's alright", he said, smiling.

~

Everyone had just finished dinner, and are now waiting in the room near the pod house. Anxiously. Well, except for Tsumugi, of course. She casually waited for them to go back to that cursed world, humming and swinging her legs. She saw the remaining participants in discomfort. The other 'deceased' were sent home.

They will go back to the virtual world of Danganronpa. They had to. If Tsumugi survives, she'll have to call Keebo.

Ah yes, Keebo. Her younger brother has been waiting for her ever since she went here to participate in Danganronpa. Maybe, next season, they will be able to participate together. That'd be nice.

 

~

 

Rantaro looked at the clock. His hands trembled. His eyes widened. 7:50. Ten more minutes before they go back to that world. His hands trembled.

There were many rules when you're a participant of Danganronpa. One, that's a virtual world. Two, your virtual selves won't remember who they were in the real world. Three, your non-fictional selves will remembet what happened in the virtual world. Rantaro buried his face in his hands, as he hears Tsumugi's happy humming as the clock ticks.

~

"Nyahaha! It's done, Kokichi!", Angie exclaimed, combing Kokichi's hair. Maki handed her the mirror, so the black-haired boy can see what he looked like now.

The boy opened his eyes. He was stunned by what he saw in the mirror. His black hair wasn't completely black anymore; it had purple fringes, and dark purple colored his hair. It was beautiful. He smiled at Angie.

"Thank you, Angie."

Just then, the door opened and Himiko and Keebo came in. Himiko glanced at the clock.

"Nyeh... it's almost time." She scratched her head. Kokichi paled. 

"Alright", Maki said, standing up, putting her headphones and phone in her pockets. "Kokichi, bring the snacks. Angie, will you please set up everything we need for our film viewing?"

She, Himiko, and Keebo went downstairs. Kokichi went to get the snacks in the kitchen, following them after cleaning the place up. There were junk food littered in the kitchen counter. He got all of them and made a beeline to the living room, where Keebo and Himiko are placing blankets and pillows on the couch, and Maki was setting up the telivision and speaker.

Kokichi put the snacks on the coffee table, and sat down on the couch, burying himself with the blanket and pillows. Keebo looked at him with confused eyes.

 

"He doesn't like to watch Danganronpa", Maki explained, turning the television on. Keebo's eyes widened in surprise. Probably never heard of a Danganronpa hater before.

Angie came down the stairs, but Kokichi ignored her as she went to the kitchen. After a few minutes, the opening of Danganronpa started.

"ANGIE! COME ON!", Maki bellowed, and Angie ran to the living room with a tray of drinks. She put them down on the coffee table next to the snacks that Kokichi offered.

Shuichi came out of nowhere, scaring everyone. Once he apologized, the six of them, including Kokichi, snuggled on the couch, buried in blankets. It was from the cold of the vents, probably.

Shuichi turned to face Kokichi. "The killing game will continue tomorrow. No reason to be afraid just because Rantaro's there. In Danganronpa." Kokichi was silent, but nodded.

Once a girl with blue hair and eyes entered the screen, Keebo's eyes widened.

"Tsumugi", he muttered. Kokichi turned to face him.

"What's wrong?", he asked.

"She's... my sister." Keebo took a drink from the coffee table and drank it.

"So... Shirogane is your last name?" Maki intervened.

Keebo shook his head. "Yes and no. My parents were divorced, you see. I took my father's name, she took our mother's. We still keep in touch with each other, until that happened." He sounded sad when he said the last sentence.

Finally, Rantaro showed up, with a depressed face. He turned to Tsumugi.

"Tsumugi... how are you so happy all the time?", he asked. Kokichi flinched. He sounded sad, afraid. "You kept brushing your feelings off, are you?"

Tsumugi just smiled.

"Oh, Rantaro... you need to always be possitive in the darkest of times. I mean, who'll bring the light to the dark?"

Rantaro stared at her, then smiled a bit.

"You're right, we should have happy feelings in the case of dark times."

Kokichi watched the television, then turned away, eyes watering. When was the last time he'd seen Rantaro smile? Laugh? Talk? It was last year, but it felt like twenty years. And their talk wasn't just a goodbye. It was also an argument.

 

~

 

_"You're just risking your life for this game!", Kokichi shouted. He'd never shouted to anyone before. Rantaro looked taken aback._

_"You just don't know how it feels, to be included in the most popular game", he shot back, calmer than Kokichi had been._

_"Do you want to die?!", Kokichi exclaimed. "You'll die in that game. Are you suicidal?!"_

_Rantaro sighed. "You just don't get it." He walked closer to Kokichi, stopping right in front of him. "Maybe we can be in Danganronpa together?" Rantaro held Kokichi's hand, smiling._

_Kokichi looked at the green haired boy, tears streaming down from his eyes._

_"No", he muttered. He let his hand drop from Rantaro's. "I don't want to be a part of that wretched killing game."_

_Rantaro looked hurt. He walked away from Kokichi, and opened the door. He turned back to the black-haired boy, who was crying hard._

_"I wish we were." With that last sentence, his own best friend left his life._

And looking at him now made Kokichi's heart ache. Rantaro followed Tsumugi to the dining hall, which were filled with the other remaining students.

~

"Hey, guys." Rantaro greeted, sitting beside Tsumugi.

He was at the end of the table. Maybe avoiding everyone. Yeah. That's it. Maybe he's still mad at the people who accused him? They were this close to getting killed. At least Tsumugi didn't suspect him. But really, was he mad because they just made a simple accusation?

A girl with pink hair sighed. "Look, I know you're still mad at us for accusing you, but hey. We found the real culprit. Don't give us the cold shoulder."

Rantaro sighed and ate his breakfast quietly, not responding to Kotoko's statement.

~

"Kotoko?" Kokichi raised a brow and turned to Angie. "Isn't she from Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls?" 

Angie nodded. "Decided to reuse the characters that played minor roles."

"Okay?"

Kokichi stared at the screen, and tried watching this horrible show without cringing.

He must've slept through it, since when he woke up, it was already morning. He was snuggling with everyone, including Keebo. Maki's right leg was dangling on the arm rest of the couch. Keebo's head was resting against Kokichi's shoulder. Kokichi's legs were on Angie's body. Himiko's arms were around Shuichi, and Shuichi's legs were entwined with Kokichi.

That's a weird position to start the day. Slowly, he untangled himself from his friends' grasp, and went to the bathroom to freshen up. He washed his face and looked at the mirror.

His purple-dyed hair was disheveled, probably from sleeping. He looked at his dark purple eyes. He made the right choice of dying his hair (well, most of it) the same color of his irises. Kokichi observed his eyebags, that were under his eyes.

He always hated his eyes. It's one of the sources of bullying. Not that he cares, anyway. Kokichi dried his face with a face towel, and opened the bathroom door.

Keebo was already awake, talking to someone on his phone. He had his back turned towards Kokichi. The others were still asleep though. Keebo looked at the sleeping people in the couch, and opened the door to go outside.

Curious, Kokichi followed him outside. He didn't know who Keebo was talking to, but he's already eavesdropping.

"I know Danganronpa 52's gonna end two weeks later", Keebo said. "It would be too soon to seek out participants for v3."

Kokichi blinked. He hid in a bush, to avoid being spotted.

_v3? The next game? Wait. Why is Keebo saying it was 'too soon' to seek out new participants?_ Kokichi's brain racked as new questions started to form, with possible answers.

"Yes, I want to see her again, father", Keebo sighed, looking down sadly in the grass. "But not in a damn killing game!"

Kokichi's eyes widened. That she he was talking about was Tsumugi. And killing game? Is Tsumugi still going to participate in the next game? Isn't she horrified or traumatized of this situation?

He continued to listen in Keebo's conversation with his father.

"Fine. I think I already have volunteers for the next Danganronpa." Keebo went silent for a moment until nodding. "Yes, father. Good day."

Kokichi heard Keebo's phone beep and Keebo turning it off. The blonde then looked up from his phone.

"Come out, Kokichi."

Now he knew he really fucked up.

~~~

Kokichi slowly revealed himself from his hiding place. Keebo had a blank face, but Kokichi knew he was mad, judging by his stance and eyes, which were filled with fury.

"Why on Earth were you evesdropping on my conversation?", Keebo asked, lips pressed together.

Kokichi remained silent, in Keebo's dismay.

"It's rude not answering a question given to you", Keebo said, then walked away from Himiko's house.

"Hey! Where are you going?", Kokichi asked. Keebo stopped aproximately ten meters from the house.

"I was in Yumeno's house", Keebo replied. "I was supposed to leave after we've discussed our project. It looks like it's over time then." He continued to walk away. Kokichi watched him as Keebo slowly turned to a speck in the distance.

Kokichi went inside the house, and saw that the others were already awake now. He smelled cinnamon and butter in the air. Someone's already making breakfast.

Maki was reading a novel, her legs dangling on the couch's armrest. Kokichi motioned her to move, and Maki obliged, moving to the right. Kokichi sat down.

"Reading Danganronpa Zero again?", he asked lightly, expecting her to say yes.

  
Maki closes the book. "Actually, it's a novel version of Danganronpa 1: Trigger Happy Havoc." Shuichi, who had been on his phone for quite a while, looked at Maki with raised brows.

"There's a novel version of the first show?", he asked. Maki rolled her eyes.

"It was released three years ago", she said. "I have the whole collection of Danganronpa novels. Zero to Fifty-two."

"They released a novel of the fifty-second season already?" Shuichi's eyes widened. Maki nodded.

"Yep. I know what'll happen, but the visuals never fail to make me cry."

"The continuation of Danganronpa chapter five is at ten-thirty." Himiko said, appearing from the kitchen with a tray. "Also, me and Angie made breakfast."

"Yes! Sit down, sit down", Angie said, appearing behind Himiko.

They all ate their breakfast noisily, talking about Danganronpa. Kokichi stayed silent. The conversation Keebo had with his father played in his mind. Keebo's already searching for participants for the next Danganronpa. He drank his water and chewed on his pancakes.

~~~  
Keebo went to Momota's house, which was ten streets away from Yumeno's house. He has to start searching for participants. But why so soon? He knocked on the door.

"What the fuck do you want?", asked a gruff voice. Momota must be pissed.

"It's one of your affliates, Keebo", Keebo introduced himself. He heard the shuffling of feet and the door opening. 

"The others are here if ya want to talk with them", Momota said.

Sure enough, most of his friends are here. Well, not friends, just aquaintances. He just sits with them since Tsumugi was their friend.

Akamatsu was sitting on the coffee table. Keebo stared at the coffee table. It's way too brittle to sit on, but Akamatsu doesn't care. No one cares about their well-being anyway. Chabashira and Toujo were seated on the carpeted floors, with cups of steaming tea on their hands. Between them was a tray with a bowl of cookies. Gokuhara and Hoshi were on the couch, playing video games.

"Where have you been?", Iruma asked as he appeared beside Keebo. "Did anyone told you we were going to watch Danganronpa tonight?" Keebo scratched his head awkwardly.

"Um, I forgot when I was in Yumeno's house?", Keebo replied.

"What the hell were you doing in some loser's house?", Akamatsu intervened, turning to face Keebo.

"Me and Yumeno had a project we had to work on." Keebo sat on the carpeted floors. "It's plausible I also got side-tracked, since they were also going to watch Danganronpa."

Iruma scoffed. "So you hang out with those shitheads?" Keebo flinched. Iruma was a 'hall monitor' in school. But when she's with the gang, she does everything she wants.

"Yeah", Chabashira said, munching on her cookies. "Why'd you do that?"

"Like I have mentioned, I was side-tracked." Keebo made a motion to get one of the cookies on the bowl, but Tojo moved it away from him. He grunted, and Tojo smirked. Smug bitch.

"Whatever, at least you're here", Momota said, sitting on the armrest of the couch.

"How's the stay in Himiko's house?", Akamatsu asked.

Keebo shrugged. "It was fine, I guess. They were a lot of fun."

"Kokichi's there too, right?", Momota asked. Always targeting Ouma. When will he stop doing that?

"Yes." Keebo again tried to get a cookie, but Tojo pushed it across the room, the sound of a glass plate sliding across the now bare floors. The noise was irritating.

"Shuichi there too?", Akamatsu asked. Also her. Always targeting Saihara. Keebo wondered why they taunt people so much.

"Yes." Keebo tried to get the bowl of cookies from across the room, but Chabashira was faster. She glided through the room and got the bowl filled with cookies. She made it back to Tojo. Keebo groaned.

~~~  
Kokichi asked Angie to drive him back to his house. His parents were waiting for him on the frontyard. His father was trimming the hedges, and his mother was watering the plants. Kokichi opened the door from the car, and approached his parents.

When his parents saw him, they stopped at what they were doing. They looked at Kokichi, like he was a stranger. They then smiled and walked to him, and hugged him tightly.

"Your hair looks nice", his mother said, stroking his purple streaks.

"It matches your eyes", his father added.

Kokichi smiled and hugged them back. They never knew that he hates Danganronpa. If they did, they'll disown him. He didn't want to lose his loving parents. So he'll do anything, to not let them know his secret hatred for Danganronpa. 

And that secret was his downfall.


	2. Blackmail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokichi gets blackmailed.  
> Character development ensues.  
> "Do you know what I like? Do you like the night light? Do you take your time, 'cause it feels like we're dying!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my least favorite chapter tbh  
> i just want to write Ouma getting blackmailed  
> and I'll mention again this is a virtual world

Kokichi woke up from the sound of his mother calling him for breakfast. He got up from the bed and dressed himself. Kokichi went downstairs to eat his breakfast. No surprise, he found his parents' faces buried on their phone screens. He ate his breakfast and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

As he dried his hair he heard the familiar car horn blaring from his window. Kokichi immediately dressed himself and arranged all his school books and notebooks. He pulled his sling bag to his shoulders, and walked downstairs, saying goodbye to his mother and father.

They emptily waved goodbye back. Kokichi sighed as he looked at his parents. He can see they're playing the game version of Danganronpa 52.

Kokichi reached Angie's car and opened it. As expected, Angie's eyes were on the television screen of the car. Maki was leaning on the car door, and Keebo, who was here again, was listening to Danganronpa.

Kokichi closed the door, and Angie simultaneously started the car. The car was in silence, save for the background noise of the show.

They reached the back of the school and climbed up the fence. What they didn't expect on the other side was them.

"Oh, look, these worthless shits showed up", a familiar voice said. Kokichi shrunk in fear.

"Thanks for luring them here, Keebo", Kaede said, waving at the blonde haired boy enthusiastically.

Angie looked at him in disbelief. "Did... you tell them about the back of the school?"

  
Keebo didn't respond and walked towards Kaito and his gang, standing between Kirumi and Tenko. Kokichi scowled at him, but it soon faded when Kaito stepped forward.

"We didn't fucking finish our session last week", he said. "I told you to fucking give me your food, but you didn't give me any."

"That's probably because you can't buy your own food." Kokichi covered his mouth. He didn't mean to let it slip. But it was too late. Kaito was angry as fuck.

"The fuck did you say?!", Kaito said, walking to Kokichi and grabbing his collar. His friends didn't do anything, since Maki was surrounded by both Kirumi and Tojo, and Angie was surrounded by Kaede.

A punch was brought to Kokichi's face, followed by another one.

Kokichi tolerated the pain, until finally the whole world stops.

~~~  
Kokichi woke up in a bed. He squinted from the bright light above him. Did he die? Was he finally free from this world.

"Oh, you're awake." Kokichi turned to face the voice, and saw Maki, Shuichi, Angie, and Himiko beside his bed.

"Oh." Kokichi smiled faintly, relieved. Guess he didn't die after all. "Don't you all have classes today?"

"Oh, noooo." Angie twirled her car keys. "It's way past time anyway." Kokichi's eyes widened.

"Are you saying I slept for the whole day?", he asked.

Maki nodded.

"Nyeh... looks like the punches Kaito gave, along with Kaede's pocketknife, was enough to make you faint."

"Wait... I got stabbed by Kaede too?"

"No." Shuichi smiled. "She just cut you."

"Kokichi... can you sit up?", Maki asked.

Kokichi did what she told him. He tried sitting up straight, his muscles straining as his whole head rocked hard. But through all that, he sat up. He flinched, obviously from the wounds on his body.

"Yeah, I can", he reassured his friends. "Let's just go home already."

"Sure, I'm just going to tell the school nurse." Angie walked to the circular desk in the middle of the room, where a nurse was sitting, her eyes on the phone (Danganronpa, no doubt). Angie talked to the nurse, and the nurse moved her mouth as if saying something, not taking her eyes off the phone.

Angie walked back to them with her signature smile.

"She says Kokichi can go home", she said. "Maki, Shuichi, help him up. He can't walk on his own, ya know?"

Kokichi tried to stand up with support from Maki and Shuichi. He stumbled forward, but Maki caught up to him. As they went outside the nurse's office, Angie was right: there were no students littered around the hall, no noises in the classroom.  
Everyone had really gone home.

After walking for a few painful minutes, they finally reached Angie's car. With Maki's help, he finally got in the car, with Shuichi carrying his bag. There was silence in the car as it started driving down the road.

"I will have a talk with Keebo", Angie announced. Himiko opened her mouth to say something, but Angie cut her off. "Do not tell me to back off. It's roommate against roommate."

"How did you become roommates, again?", Maki said, opening her phone.

"It's a complicated story", Angie said. The car swerved right. "I'll tell you another time."

~~~

After dropping off Himiko, Maki, Shuichi and Kokichi, Angie returned home. She sighed as she parked the car right next to the house. She had to work another night shift in the casino. But first, let her eat dinner.

Angie was mad at Keebo for revealing their secret. Well, it can't be helped. After all, he's a part of Kaito's gang after all. Just what was she doing, living with her enemy?

The silver-haired girl knocked on the door. It was her house. Why was she knocking. But she was angry enough not to care. When she didn't receive an answer, she opened the door. Hard. It crashed to the wall, alerting Keebo, who was in the kitchen.

"What was that...?" Keebo poked his head from the kitchen, only finding Angie in front of the doorway. "Oh. It's just you."

Angie remained silent, not addressing Keebo with a smile like she always does. Instead she turned the television on to watch Danganronpa. Danganronpa always clears her mind. Both negative and positive thoughts.

Danganronpa was a like a drug. No wonder why people kept asking for more. No wonder why they thought up more and more deaths for each season. It fills people's minds with euphoria, obsession. No wonder why Kokichi hates it.

Angie heard plates clattering. She turned to see Keebo preparing dinner.

  
"I made dinner a minute ago, when you arrived", he explained. Angie just stared at him then went back to focusing on Danganronpa.

The screen showed Rantaro sneaking up on some machine.

Rantaro. He was by far Angie's favorite character in the series. Not only because he was her childhood friend, but also his character. He wasn't the same person Angie used to know. He was turned to a sketchy, overly mysterious person, and was calm in the times of danger. That wasn't Angie's Rantaro. His parents and sisters must be proud of him. After all, he got to the fifty-second Danganronpa.

Angie finally stood up from the couch and walked to the table, sitting a distance away from Keebo. She ate her dinner quietly, sometimes turning her head to watch Danganronpa. Rantaro was talking to Kotoko.

"Do you... want me to do your homework while you're away?", Keebo broke the silence.

Angie was silent. She glanced at the clock on the wall. She'd be starting her shift by 10:00. It's still six-thirty, so there's still time.

"You don't need to", she said bitterly. "In fact, tell me why you told Kaito."

Keebo stopped chewing his food and swallowed it.

"Angie, if this is about-"

"Yes, this is about it!" Angie interrupted. "You told them our secret entrance!"

"You shouldn't even be climbing-"

"So what?", the silver-haired girl raised her arms. "That fence is the only gateway to school."

"Try the front of the school, not the dangerous-"

"It is, of course, your fault to why we're entering the school on the back!"

  
Keebo didn't reply. He just stared at his food while his roommate shouted. How did they become roommates again? Oh yeah. Angie was the only person who accepted him, into her house.

_It was just yesterday when his father told him to go live with someone else. Father's busy and all that. He read his papers, then stuffed them inside his bag. The blonde rubbed his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping since yesterday. Father wanted him to grow independent, but he was just a teenager. Now he's homeless._

_He managed to ride on a train, occupying the only available seat, fortunately. He pulled his cellphone out and started to watch Danganronpa. Oh, Danganronpa. The only thing that can keep himself calm. He sighed to himself as he heard the pleasing noise of students' screams-_

_"May I watch with you?", a voice asked. He turned to the right, where he assumed the voice is. He removed his earphones._

_"What, again?", he asked. The girl beside him sighed._

_"I am saying, can we watch together?", she repeated her question._

_The blonde blinked, and look at his phone._

_"State your reasons first." The girl tilted her head in a rather cute way._

_"My phone's dead and I want to watch Danganronpa", she said. "Do you need more reasons than that?"_

_The blonde blinked and sighed, giving her an earpiece. They sat together on what seems like hours, but is actually just half an hour. The buzzer turned red, and the conductor announced their location. The girl looked up, with a disappointed look on her face._

_Why was she disappointed? She watched the end of the epilogue of Danganronpa 50._

_"Well, it's been nice knowing you", she said. "This station is near my house."_

_The girl walked to the exit of the train, and the boy followed her. The girl must've sensed the boy following her, since she turned around. But her face wasn't full of annoyance. It was filled with curiosity._

_"Why are you following me? Huuuh?", she asked, tilting her head._

_"...Nothing", he said. "You might not even accept me into your house." The girl smiled._

_"It's fine if you live in my house", the silver-haired girl said. "It gets lonely in there."_

_The boy's eyes widened. "Really? You'd let me stay in your house? Me? A complete stranger?"_

_"I'd like to get to know you", the girl replied. "I have a car parked near here, I just don't bring it to work, so. Tell me your name."_

_"...Idabashi Keebo." Keebo spent no time in hesitating._

_"Angie Yonaga." Keebo tilted his head. Why did she introduced her first name before her last name?_

_"Come on, no need to stare at me like that, let's go."_

_Keebo followed Angie home, and became roommates._

  
The same roommate that's mad at him right now.

Keebo ate his food in silence, and Angie stood up from her seat.

"When you joined them, and you were still nice to me", Angie began, picking up her plate. "I thought I can still trust you. But it doesn't look like I can now."

Keebo watched her clean her plate, and stomp upstairs.

~

Kokichi inhaled, then exhaled. He did this repeatedly until he had the courage to go inside his own house. The wounds were still visible on his skin. He just hoped his parents wouldn't notice. He opened the door.

No surprise. They greet him as always, not looking up from their phone. Kokichi sadly sighed. He wished they weren't ignorant sometimes.

He went upstairs, into his room. He tended his wounds and replace the old bandages with new ones. He went back downstairs to cook his dinner, since his parents were busy watching Danganronpa.

Kokichi was careful with fire. What he wasn't careful about was his mouth. He just made a sudden outburst in front of Momota Kaito. The Momota Kaito. The nerve of him, standing up to himself and his friends.

When he finished cooking his dinner, he placed it on a plate (obviously, what, do you expect him to put it on the trash?) and took dining utensils from the kitchen. Kokichi ate his food until his plate was nothing, and washed his plate on the sink. He winced as his wounded arm came i contact with the dishwashing soap. But he can tolerate it. Like how he tolerates everything that happened to him.

~

Keebo woke up to the sound of a rock being thrown into his bedroom window. He groaned, and looked at his alarm clock. It was twelve-thirty. Angie wasn't here now. She has a night shift in the casino. He walked to the window where he assumed the rock was thrown. He looked down and saw Shinguji and Iruma looking up at him.  
Shinguji motioned for him to come out, and Keebo followed, dressing to more casual clothes other than his pajamas.

Keebo put the house keys inside his pocket, and opened the door outside of his house, locking it. He went to the backyard, where Shinguji and Iruma were waiting.

"Why are you waking me up this late?", Keebo asked. "Is there an emergency?"

"Shut the fuck up!", Iruma shouted. Keebo flinched. "We'll fucking tell you about the shit that's been bothering us in Momota's house!"

Momota's house? Why would they need to discuss it with Momota? Is it about that thing he told them about?

"Yes, it's that thing", Shinguji said, as if reading the blonde's mind.

They walked for a few minutes, with Keebo remaining silent as Shinguji and Iruma bickered about small things.

They reached Momota's house in the climax of the argument, and Keebo softly knocked on the door.

"It's open", the familiar voice of Chabashira filled his ears. He turned the doorknob and went inside, being followed by Iruma and Shinguji.

Keebo found all of them in the living room, huddled together. Momota patted the space between him and Akamatsu. He assumed it was for him and followed Momota, sitting between him and Akamatsu.

"We decided", Akamatsu said. "That we'd join Danganronpa."

Keebo was not surprised. He already knew from the start that they would all join. They loved the killing game; they'd want to be in one too.

"Of course." Keebo nodded. "You will audition for the roles of Danganronpa a month after the end of Danganronpa 52."

"What?!", Iruma exclaimed. "We have to wait that fucking long?!"

"We can be patient", Tojo said.

Keebo surveyed the whole living room, taking in all the people who wanted to be participants. Momota Kaito. Akamatsu Kaede. Iruma Miu. Shinguji Korekiyo. Tojo Kirumi. Chabashira Tenko. Gokuhara Gonta. Hoshi Ryoma. Nine people in total, including him. His father told him that he will be the one to search the other two participants, so Keebo had to search for fourteen. Only five more to go.

"So, is this why you want me here, Momota?", Keebo asked. "I must leave."

Without saying goodbye, he made his way back to his house. As he walked to the front yard, he saw the silhouette of Angie's car on the driveway.

Oh. He unlocked the house and as he opened the door, he was greeted the sight of Angie, in her casino work clothes. She had the look of mild disinterest on her face.

"Where have you been?", she asked, her words slightly slurred.

Keebo sighed. She must've been drinking again. No surprise. Whenever he's up late, he always witnesses Angie coming home with the scent of booze.

  
"With Momota and the others", Keebo replied. Angie yawned loudly, and took wobbly steps forward to face Keebo.

"Why?", the girl asked. Keebo can smell booze in her breath as she spoke. It made him almost hurl.

"Danganronpa participants", Keebo blurted out. Angie's eyes widened.

There was silence in a few minutes. Keebo cleared his throat to break the silence.

"I have been roaming around the school and city, looking for participants", Keebo explained. "I had persuaded Momota and his group to audition, and most of the school and the children in this city."

He looked at Angie. Seeing her from afar, she was nothing but a cute, delicate girl. Up close, she had her own problems. Being disowned by her parents must be pretty tough for her, since she worked shifts at a casino far from this city.

"Can I audition too?" Angie finally opened her mouth. "With my friends?"

"Affirmative. I'll tell my father I have gathered many participants in this city."

They went upstairs and parted ways as they reached each other's bedrooms.

~

"Keebo's such an ass", Momota said, scratching his head. "He won't even let me say the most important thing."

"Which is...?", Gonta asked.

Momota smiled his signature psychopatic smile.

"That Kokichi hates Danganronpa, right?", he asked.

"Yes", Tojo said. "So...?"

"I get where this is going!", Akamatsu said, raising her hand and waving it. "Let's blackmail that asshole into joining Danganronpa!"

"You're right, Akamatsu", Momota said. "But what will be the thing that we can use to blackmail him?"

"Perhaps... his preferences?", Tojo said.

"Preferences of what?", Chabashira asked.

"We'll use his hatred of Danganronpa as blackmail against him."

The whole room went silent. Then, Momota smiled.

"That's brilliant, Tojo!"

~

  
Chapter six is going to end this day, huh? Kokichi thought, looking down at the grass as he waited for Angie. It was the first time Angie had ever been late to pick him up. His mother opened the door.

"Kokichi, what are you sitting there for?", she asked.

"I'm waiting for Angie", he replied. "She gives me a ride to school. His mother blinked, then chuckled.

"It's the ending of Chapter Six and the Epilogue today!", she said. "Remember, there are no classes when this occurence happens."

Kokichi blinked. Oh, right. Danganronpa. Now he finally wants to see if Rantaro was going to live or not. He has to watch this. He wants to see him leave that hell hole.

He walked inside the house, closing the door behind him. His parents were sitting beside each other on the couch, eating chips. Like you always do in a normal movie. Well, it felt like a normal movie, since Danganronpa was the norm these days.

The remaining students were now searching for the truth behind their schools, like in every single show. It would find something plot-twisty, and everyone will be shocked and like the ending it brings.

That's basically it. He watched the students investigating a little more, trying to find out the mystery of the school. Kokichi yawned. He started to grow sleepy. He slapped himself awake, wanting to see the end of Danganronpa 52.

Rantaro will come back to him. He'll come back after this hellhole is over. Kokichi smiled. He'd be waiting for Rantaro in his house.

  
~

Credits rolled across the screen. Kokichi was amazed with the ending. Danganronpa always knew how to write such endings. It's one of the only things he liked about this shit killing game. He sighed to himself, as the ending music filled his ears.

Rantaro will come back. Finally.

He looked at his parents. They both have content looks on their faces. Content of the happy ending. After a few minutes they'd start replaying the whole season, and their son went back upstairs.

He lied down on his bed, sighing to himself. He can't wait to see Rantaro. He wanted to apologize to him about their argument a year earlier.

He closed his eyes, letting sleep befall him. And all he saw in his dream, was a hydraulic press, stained in blood. Kokichi didn't sleep well that night. His dreams were turning to nightmares.

A shot put ball, covered in blood. A rope. Piranhas in a tank filled with red water. Spiderwebs. Effigies. Seances. Boiled alive. Toilet paper in a mansion. A swarm of bugs, all shapes and sizes. The hydraulic press, but this time with a purple sleeve. A rocket ship. An academy.

What does all the dreams mean?

~

Kokichi woke up, breathing heavily and sweating. He gasped for air. After he calmed down, he looked at his alarm clock. He blinked. The light of the alarm clock showed it was still 1:47 in the morning. He breathed in, and out.

Another nightmare; when will this end? He went to the bathroom to wash his face. He looked at the mirror. His eye bags had grown bigger, probably from lack of sleep. His friends kept asking him what was wrong, and his parents as well. But he would brush it off and say that he was fine, and smile at them.

It was the same dream: the hydraulic press, covered with blood on it, with a purple sleeve sticking out of the press. The faces had been unclear in his dreams of it, but he almost-almost- got a clear look of the victim's face.

His hair and goattee was a dark purple, and his arms were spread. He had the purple jacket, and Kokichi assumed that that was the purple sleeve he saw from his dreams. Something was familiar about him though. He can't put a finger on it though.

Kokichi went back to his bedroom, and closed his eyes.

~

  
Rantaro opened his eyes, and all he saw was darkness. Oh. They still haven't removed him from his pod. Finally, the pod's lid opened, and in came flashing light. One of the Team Danganronpa staff helped him get up. Finally. It was over. He did sacrifice himself for the others, but who cares? It's finally over.

He stumbled into the hallway, and bumped Tsumugi along the way.

"Oh, sorry, Shirogane", Rantaro said, scratching his head. The blue haired girl smiled.

"Oh, that's all right", she said, smiling. "But you need to be ready next month."

Rantaro smiled. "But I can't wait to get back home. I want to see my family and friends again."

Tsumugi cocked her head to the side with and innocent face of worry.

"Um, I'm not sure what you're talking about", Tsumugi said. "When you sacrificed yourself for the others, you sealed the contract: you'll participate in Danganronpa 53."

Rantaro's smile faded. He frowned.

"What?", he whispered quietly. He gritted his teeth, balling his hands to fists. Tsumugi took a step back. With a shout, Rantaro punched the wall behind her. She screamed as Rantaro started to run around the hall way, destroying the furniture that gets in his way.

A little while later, guards restrained Rantaro and brought him to his office.

"What the actual fuck?!", Rantaro bellowed, punching his desk. "I thought this was the end! I don't want to participate in this fucking crap ever again!"

The man nodded. "Well, then, if you don't want to join the fifty-third killing game, we just have to make you. By force."

He whistled and two guards carried the green-haired boy out of his office, with Amami straining and threatening them to let him go.

The guards opened the door and threw Amami inside. Amami rapidly got up and lunged at them, but it was too late. The door was locked. He was still stuck in the world of Danganronpa.

He gasped, his breathing uneven. There was nothing in here. Just a bed, a small window that was out of reach. Amami planned his escapes.

They don't really work out that much. The guards came back and Amami lunged at them, trying to catch them off-guard. Yhe guards were unbaffled. They chained him to the legs of the bed. Amami cried and shrieked.

He used to want to be in this killing game. Now he just wanted to go home, and be with his family and friends.

Tears streaked his face. He tried to remove the chain from the bed. No avail. His crying became noisier, then it turned to begging. Begging to let him out. No avail. There's always no avail.

He felt dead. But maybe he really is. They forced him to participate in another killing game. Why did he ask for this?

~

  
Tsumugi faced her back from Rantaro's room's door. She was now writing Rantaro's personality for the next show. Wow. Planning so fast without the other participants yet? That's her, so eager to start on a new project.

She heard that Keebo will also join. He already offered to be the camera of the outside world, but there should be more than that. Tsumugi went to her office, and opened the drawer that read 'Keebo'. She opened it.

There were pictures littered everywhere, with them cosplaying, smiling and laughing. Her heart ache. Don't worry, she reassured herself. They'll be back together. She picked up the pictures that showed she and Keebo cosplaying. Tsumugi noticed that Keebo had always been cosplaying robots. Perhaps he'd like to be the Ultimate Robot? That would probably be fine for Keebo.

A robot that's also a camera for the outside world? So fitting.

~

Kokichi was staring at the road as Angie drove the car. He felt in no mood of talking today. He just blankly stared at everything. Maki looked at him with a concerned expression.

"What's wrong?", she asked. She already knew it was worthless talking to him.

"No, I'm fine." This became their new daily routine. A concerned or worried Are you okay? Is something wrong? What's wrong? What happened? Did you get hurt? And it was replied with an empty No, I'm fine.

They shouldn't be asking him that question anymore.

They have to enter in the front of the school, thanks to Keebo. Momota and the others were waiting for them, with menacing smiles on their faces. Keebo was the only one who looked reserved.

Just a few days ago Angie, Himiko, Shuichi and Maki had started to have good terms with all of them. But why? As he walked behind them, he can see Akamatsu smiling and waving at them. Kokichi blinked. Why are they being nice to them and not him?

As his friends went inside the school, he was left alone with Momota. He sneered his usual sneer.

"We have an agreement for ya", he said.

"I won't do anything for you", Kokichi said, taking a step backwards.

Akamatsu giggled, then Tojo backed him up against a wall.

"You will do this", the green-haired girl said. "Or face the consequences."

"Okay, answer our questions", Shinguji said.

"So, since everyone in the school knows you hate Danganronpa, shall we spread it throughout the city?", Tojo asked.

Kokichi's eyes widened. Are they really going to blackmail him? But why? For what?

"N-no, please don't", the purple-haired boy stuttered, squeezing his eyes shut.

He doesn't want the whole city to know his secret. He doesn't want to tell his parents about his secret. Hell, maybe his friends only pity him and secretly hates his guts for hating Danganronpa.

The whole world doesn't need to know his humiliating secret. He'll just do what they say. He sighed, bowing his head in defeat.

"What do you want?", he asked, tears staining his eyes.

Momota opened his mouth, but Keebo took the opportunity he wanted to say.

"Please audition for Danganronpa." Okay. That was unexpected.  
  
Kokichi's head shot up, looking at Keebo. Is he serious? Why whould they want him to audition for Danganronpa? He'll never get selected.

"Or, as Tojo have said, suffer the consequences."

Kokichi felt sick in his stomach. He wanted to vomit everything he'd eaten. What? Audition for Danganronpa? A kind of entertainment for sadistic people? Like Momota? He needs to wait for Rantaro, not join the same show Rantaro had suffered.

"What, no response?", Momota said. "We'll give you ten seconds to respond. Ten, nine-"

The whole world is sadistic. It doesn't care about anything else other than Danganronpa. It's the norm.

"Eight, seven", Akamatsu continued, clapping her hands.

That's why he hated that show. It turned all the people in the world to monsters. Though the world is peaceful, their minds weren't.

"Six, five-"

Why? Why are they doing this to him? For entertainment? Why us everyone so redundantly boring? Why is the whole world boring? It's so boring, he wanted to sleep and never wake up.

"Four, three-"

He breathed heavily. He didn't want everyone to know about his secret. That'll make him twice as ashamed. People never care about being unique. They care about being equal to one another. Equality. He hated that word. He wished to be just like everyone else. But no, he had to be unique.

"Two, one." Momota finished counting. Tojo released Kokichi, who started gasping and crying at the same time.

"F-fine." Kokichi snarled. "I'm o-only d-doing this for m-myself."

Akamatsu laughed. Oh how he hated that laugh. These people are assholes. Every. Single. One of them. So sadistic, yet so boring at the same time.

What? When did he start to get bored? Not his problem, anyway.

~

Keebo's father called him last night.

"As your father, I'd like you to give me a favor." His father's cold voice said, giving Keebo the chills.

"I will discuss to you about my favor once my selected participants get there."

~

Welp. Kokichi looked at his dinner. He needed to tell his parents about his new dilemma. He needed to tell them he'd be leaving. He doesn't know when he's coming back.

"Kokichi, dear, what's wrong?", his mother asked, looking at him with worried eyes.

Kokichi looked at them in the eyes, with tears on his face.

"I... wanted to participate. In Danganronpa, I mean." Well, it wasn't a full lie, nor it is a truth either.

"You... want to audition for Danganronpa?", his father repeated, stunned.

His parents' shocked faces turned to smiles, and they both looked at each other, then back at him.

"We'll support you", his mother said gently. "I hope you bring us fame and fortune when you get back!"

Kokichi faked a smile. "T-thank you."

Why are they so ignorant?

Kokichi was awake that night, afraid of the dreams that would come to him. He yawned, two hours after his curfew. He tried. He tried and tried. But he slept, his night filled with tosses and turns.

There was another person getting crushed in that hydraulic press. He had light purple fringes and black hair, and was bare chested. He had a wound on his right arm. It was recent, since it's still bleeding. He was also familiar. But why?

~

It was summer. Kokichi was given a car ride by Angie to her house, where the others were waiting.

"Is it true?", Angie said, breaking the silence. "You want to audition for Danganronpa?"

Kokichi blinked, then nodded. There's no use in lying. They're also going to audition for the show anyway.

Angie knocked the door. Kokichi paid no mind to the chaos. Especially Keebo. He's fascinating. Like the others. How come he wasn't tainted black with psychopathy like these people. Not that he hates his friends. Sometimes staying with them can be uncomfortable.

"Okay!", Himiko said, motioning for Angie and Kokichi to sit down beside them. "Form a circle you guys."

They obeyed, and Maki placed a bottle in the middle.

"We'll ask questions", Maki said. Kokichi covered his mouth, yawning. Boring.

Maki spun the bottle. It stopped on Keebo's direction.

Keebo sighed. "I doubt you'll find any answers to question me."

"Who the hell are you?" Kokichi grimaced as the sentence stumbled from his mouth.

"I am Keebo Idabashi." The blonde said, his metallic blue eyes glaring coldly at Kokichi's purple ones. But Kokichi didn't flinch. He just stared right back at him.

"I'll repeat: Who the fuck are you?" Kokichi glared daggers at Keebo.

"Keebo Idabashi", he repeated again. "How many times am I going to repeat that sentence?"

  
"Until you fucking answer my question", Kokichi snarled.

"Keebo Idabashi", Keebo drawled. "I am getting tired of your question."

"Aren't you the son of Idabashi, the current manager of Danganronpa?" Keebo was silent. Kokichi didn't even feel himself sneer.

"Wow. No wonder why you were searching for participants." Kokichi continued, standing up and walked in front of Keebo.

The blonde's face was blank, but he could sense a hint of fear, a glint of confusion in his eyes.

"Is Tsumugi your sister? I don't see any resemblance."

"Okay, is he drunk?", Shuichi whispered to Maki. The girl turned to her friend with fear.

What has gotten into him?

~

Tsumugi knocked on Amami's door. She then unlocked it with her key, carefully carrying the tray she has with her left arm.

Amami was a pitying sight. Just two days in this room and he looked like crap. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were a mess. His head was leaning on the bed's leg, obviously trying to sleep. Amami shot up wide awake as Tsumugi entered the room.

"Hey, Rantaro", Tsumugi said gently. "I brought you lunch."

"Go away." Amami looked away, facing the darkness. His hair covered one side of his face. "I don't need anything."

Tsumugi sighed. "Rantaro, come on. You need to eat and drink."

"No."

Tsumugi sat across Amami, crossed-legged. She enclosed her fingers on the tray.

"I'm not leaving until you eat something."

"I won't eat anything."

The girl inhaled. She decided to lie to him.

"I was also forced", she lied, and scooted towards him, who remained unmoving, unfazed. "They also forced me to participate in this killing game."

Amami tilted his head to the left. He had visible shadows in his eyes.

"I don't care", he said. Tsumugi's eyes widened. "I want to go back."

The girl just left his food in the room and walked outside. She walked and walked and walked until her legs couldn't carry her. She sat on the sidewalk, reflecting on what happened this day. Rantaro. She replaced that sad thought with a happy one.

Her father said that she'll be the mastermind of the next killing game. He also gave her permission to make the fictional personalities of the selected volunteers. Tsumugi smiled at that thought. She can replace the participants' real selves with their virtual selves. She just can't wait for this.

~

Ouma can't hold his anger. He was blackmailed into auditioning for Danganronpa. His parents approved of it, proving on how irresponsible they are. He was so bored. Ouma just wanted to unleash his anger somehow.

Maybe everyone has secrets. Including Idabashi here. Keebo looked at the floors. So many hidden secrets, yet so little time. Ouma wondered if their personalities would change. It would, to fit a non-boring surrounding.

One of Danganronpa's elements were that you needed to be Ultimate students.

He wondered what their Ultimate talents will be, and if it might change their personalities. Boring.

~

Momota was staring into the ceiling of his room. His grandparents said it wasn't alright, participating for Danganronpa. He just shouted at them and insulted them, telling them to fuck off from his life.

His grandparents are afraid of him, and Momota uses that to his advantage. His masculinity is a good tait of his, and when someone picks a fight with him, they lose, and Momota wins. That's basically his defense for every fucked up thing he has done in this world.

He was lonely. He was bored. He was tired of doing the same routine over and over again. Beating the shit out of people everyday. Having a meeting with his gang.

If he chose another kind of life, he'd choose to be someone less cruel, filled with optimism. A hero to everyone he meets. Give him a sickness. Better.

Yeah. That'd be the best personality they should give him.

He needs more happiness in this world. This might probably be one of them.

Maybe, just maybe, he'd be loved.

~  
Harukawa doesn't know what Ouma was doing. Asking who Keebo is, then spilling his secrets. Then now, strangling the blonde.

Maybe he snapped. Maybe he did it for fun. The madness in his eyes...

That isn't Kokichi.

Angie was trying to stop them, shouting to them.

"Kokichi, snap out of it!" Ouma kept enclosing his fingers on the boy's neck. Keebo coughed and choked.

Ouma's fingernails were digging into Keebo's skin now. Harukawa can see a red hue on both Ouma's fingernails and Keebo's neck.

Jesus. They need to stop this. Now.

"Kokichi", Maki started, taking low, slow steps to the boys. "Stop-"

Everything stops when a hand slapping someone was heard. Harukawa found Ouma with a wide-eyed stare, his hand losing his grip on the blonde. Keebo took this chance to escape, rubbing his neck that was tinted with blood. Angie knelt down and tried taking care of Keebo's wound.

Who slapped him anyway?

"Kokichi, what the fuck." The sound of the timid voice was heard. Harukawa blinked.

Oh. It was Saihara. What.

Ouma seemed to snap out of it, because after Saihara slapped him, he broke down, crying. Harukawa and Yumeno knelt toward him and comforted the boy.

What is Danganronpa to them? A beautiful paradise.

That's why they auditioned for it in the first place.

Ouma was just blackmailed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO-
> 
> THIS CHAPTER FUCKING SUCKED
> 
> IT'S ALSO SHORT SO-
> 
> FUCK
> 
> MORE FACTS YA LITTLE SHITS:
> 
> Keebo Idabashi: Just used the guy who created him as his name.
> 
> Dreams: I'd like to think Kokichi had prophetic dreams.
> 
> Ouma, Harukawa, Yumeno, Saihara, Amami: I used their surnames because it fits the heavy atmosphere.
> 
> Amami and the game: I always thought Amami went insane since he's still gonna be in the fucking game.
> 
> Danganronpa merchandise: Since it's a norm these days, I'd think it has some games and books and stuff.
> 
> Angie: I like imagining her working in a casino.
> 
> That Saiouma moment: FUCK Saiouma hate that ship a lot lol.


	3. a bonus chapter for all ya'll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was basically a crack chapter so I can make my readers from my old site stop worrying about the third and final chapter of this fanfic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> crack but NOT crack

~~The final chapter is still not out, so I'll give you a minor spoiler in the fic. Most especially, in chapter 3.~~ (It's already done the whole story's done)

The characters from Danganronpa 1 up to 3 are real, not fiction.

Like what I told you, I will keep my headcannon of Drv3 as a virtual world, so, by saying this, the characters from previous games are installed to the Danganronpa world.

Their appearances in the real world are different from the virtual world.

I'm still coming up with backstories for each of them, but eh.

 

**Leon Kuwata and Mukuro Ikusaba make an appearance in the story.**

 

 **Leon Kuwata**  is Shuichi Saihara's father. Shuichi just took his mother's name because Kuwata doesn't sound good to him.

Not into sports unlike his counterpart in Danganronpa. His work is being a music writer.

Traumatized from joining the Danganronpa game. Doesn't want his child to participate but there's no going back.

Isn't a good father, but isn't a bad father as well.

He never keeps in touch with the friends he had in Danganronpa.

 **Mukuro Ikusaba** is the one who founded the orphanage Maki lives in. She's cold and strict, but secretly liked children.

Doesn't know how to fight and defend herself and has a good relationship with Junko Enoshima.

Never liked Danganronpa after they turned her to a 'background' character. Many people don't remember her that much.

Indifferent about everything.

Only kept in touch with Junko, Makoto and Kyoko.

 **Junko Enoshima**  is a harmless criminal that only knows how to steal and prank people.

Isn't despair-obssessed like in Danganronpa. She still has her charismatic personality and loves her sister a lot.

Visits Mukuro's orphanage to donate the things she stole to the children.

Isn't really into violence and killing and hates them.

Has been in jail once, and once was enough.

Only kept in touch with Mukuro.

 **Makoto Naegi**  still has his generic anime cringiness but he doesn't have that hope thing going on around him.

Isn't really a pacifist unlike his counterpart. He's just neutral to most stuff.

Isn't a pessimist, nor an optimist. Just a realist.

Still obsessed with Danganronpa even after what it did to him.

Married to Byakuya Togami.

Gay af.

 **Byakuya Togami**  is still a pretty-boy prick-pants and is still rich but also has a heart.

Likes donating money to poor areas. He's already running the Togami corporation, as you might call it, but it isn't named after him. Plus it's a foundation for children or something.

He smiles all the time, whenever someone compliments him.

A realist. Is very smart, spends all his day in the library when he has dates with Makoto. An ambivert as well.

Likes to hang out with some of their friends they still keep in touch with: Kyoko, Celestia, and Mukuro.

He thinks Danganronpa poisons people's minds.

 **Kyoko Kirigiri** is your average, everyday girl that works with her wife, Celestia Ludenberg. She is also a detective in the Togami Corporation.

Still smart and can feel a little more. She has a fear in sharp objects, so she always asks Celestia to hide them in places she'd expect them to find.

Kyoko Kirigiri's adoptive daughters are Kaede Akamatsu and her twin. She and Celestia let her pick their own names.

She had a bad relationship with her daughters, but she gets comforted by Celestia every night.

Avoids the news of Danganronpa. She never heard that Kaede is going to participate.

 **Celestia Ludenberg**  is her real name, and she's an author of some books, but she uses the pen name  _Taeko Yasuhiro_.

She likes cats so she and Kyoko's house is filled with them. She sometimes gived away the babies to others who are willing to adopt.

Likes milk tea and loli fashions. Has an unhealthy coping mechanism gambling.

Is indifferent to Danganronpa.

Had a neutral relationship with her children, Kaede and her twin.

Is European.

 **Mondo Oowada** is a follower of the law, but is very obssessed with motor bikes.

Doesn't have a gang, but is married to both Ishimaru and Chihiro.

Hates butter. A lot.

Also checks Ishimaru and Chihiro's head if they had an injury after they work out together.

Still obssessed with Danganronpa.

 **Ishimaru Kiyotaka** is still a moral enforcer of the law.

Can't come up with the others tbh.

**BONUS SCENES:**

  
_THE ONE WHERE TSUMUGI SAID EVERYONE SHE COSPLAYED WAS FICTION SO THE CHARACTERS WHO ARE WATCHING IN THE REAL WORLD BECAME SALTY ABOUT IT_

Tsumugi: They're all fiction!

Meanwhile, in the outside world

Makoto:  **drinking on a shake**  I lost respect for this game.

Togami: See, I told you. Poison.

Kyoko: I can finally agree with Byakuya on this one.

Celestia: Especially to what they did to Kaede.

 

_KAEDE'S EXECUTION_

Kyoko: Hey, wassup, Celeste.

Celeste: Did you know Kaede joined Danganronpa?

Kyoko: ...What?

Celeste: She was executed after the first trial.

Kyoko:  **bangs the table with her fists**  WELL THEN GODAMNIT!

Celeste: ...don't do that.

 

_DATES_

Makoto: Komaeda! Hinata! Wassup?

Komaeda: You dragged us here to have a double date with you.

Hinata: NOPE! THIS IS ACTUALLY AWESOME???

Komaeda: fine.

 

_Orphanage shenanigans_

Mukuro: Children are stupid!

Other people: You read them bedtime stories!

Mukuro: OF DEATH!!!!

 

_JUNKO THE THEIF_

Mukuro: You're a thief.

Junko: A theif.

Mukuro: You said that wrong. It's supposed to be c before e.

Junko: Thceif

Mukuro: No.

 

_TELL THEM, NAEGI_

Byakuya: Danganronpa is poison.

Makoto: SORE WA CHIGAU YO

Byakuya: God damn it Makoto you're not in Danganronpa anymore

 

_SDR2 SHENAIGANS_

Komaeda: GOdDAMN IT GUYS YOU'RE ALL SHIT DO YOU KNOW HOW TO CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES

Hinata: Bruh calm down

Komaeda: I AM CALM

 

_TYPOS IN WRITING_

Celeste: Hey Kyoko can you check for typos in my writings

Kyoko: Sure thing babe

Celeste: Are there wrong spellings

Kyoko: You spelled Danganronpa wrong

Celeste: Wow really what should it say

Kyoko: It should spell like 'They killed our baby'

Celeste: HOW COME I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT????

 

_KOMAEDA'S DED INSIDE_

Komaeda: HOW DARE YOU??? I'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M HINATA'S BAE RIGHT HERE AND NOW

Chiaki: Bruh I just came here for Izuru

Komaeda: Well who cares

Izuru: Shut the f up, Nagito.

 

_BUT THAT'S KAYAYDAY'S LIE ISN'T IT_

Makoto:  **BUT THAT'S KAYAYDAY'S LIE ISN'T IT**

Byakuya: Stfu I see nothing wrong with the pronounciation and the meme is stupid

Makoto: Do you have another not that really understandable meme in mind

Byakuya: **S E E S A W E F F E C T**

Makoto: Fair nuff

 

_Hope bagels_

Hinata: Why you like bagels Komaeda

Komaeda: I fucking hate bagels mind you

Hinata: But you're a legendary meme

Komaeda: Kokichi's the legendary meme now idiot

Izuru: I COOKED BAGELS GUYS

Komaeda: God pls why habe you made me the meme

 

_What your pronoun_

Chihiro: What's your pronoun

Mondo: Dick

Ishimaru: NO

 

_IF YOU'RE EVIL AND YOU'RE ON THE RISE_

Chihiro: GUYS DO U WATCH SU???

Mondo: What is this Su

Makoto: It totally means 'succ a dicc in acronyms'

Byakuya: That's SaD in acronym form

Makoto: No one asked you babe

 

_JUNK-O_

Junko: So I found this cereal at the mall and it totally insulted my name

Mukuro: What did it say

Junko: Junk-o

Mukuro: ...I see nothing wrong with your name

Junko: Piss off bitch

 

_DANGANRONPA MEMES_

Komaeda: What's your favorite meme guys

Makoto:  **BUT THAT'S KAYAYDAY'S LIE ISN'T IT**

Kyoko: Shut the fuck up that ain't a meme 

Makoto: Ye it is

Komaeda: Shut the fuck up how did a mispronounced name become a meme in the first place

Hinata: Like how bagels became a meme?

Komaeda: YOU WERE JUST GIVING ME BREAKFAST AND NOW EVERYONE THINKS I'M OBSESSED WITH BAGELS??

Kyoko: Hinata what about the orange juice

Hinata: nO

Byakuya:  _ **S E E S A W E F F E C T**_

 

_FUTURE ARC_

Kyoko: Remember the time I was poisoned in Danganronpa

Makoto: Ya why

Kyoko: I wrote that part in the script

Makoto: ...

Kyoko: The bring me back to life thang was written by Togami

Makoto: ;~;

 

_DESPAIR ARC_

Hinata: Remember the time Izuru shot you

Komaeda: Ye I wrote that

Komaeda: I want to die in that part tho

Hinata: Yeah you should've

 

HOPE ARC

Chiaki: That was worst ending

Izuru: Best ending

Chiaki: Worst

Izuru: Best

Komaeda: Drv3 is better

Hinata: NO THAT'S WRONG

Komaeda: No one asked for your opinion Hajime

Izuru: Best ending

 

_DEATH POLLS_

Kyoko:  **holds up a piece of paper**  GUYS HOW DARE YOU BET ON MY BEAUTIFUL CHILD

Celeste: Oop she got executed

Kyoko: oH FuCk mE

 

_ULTIMATE REAL FICTION_

Komaeda: Okay so

Komaeda: It's fiction

Komaeda: But it's real at the same time

Komaeda: Idk

 

_TSUMUGI COSPLAYING_

Komaeda: I'm leaving

Hinata: What why

Komaeda: I look like a douche

Hinata: But you're still a douche after nine years

Komaeda: I ain't a hope slut

Hinata: whatever

 

_HUH WOW SHUICHI WAS RIGHT LOL_

Hinata: Actually he was right

Hinata: remember this group we were in in highschool

Komaeda: Oh ye Remnant of Despair

Chiaki: I actually asked the author to base your terrorist name off of that

Hinata: We were badasses back then

Hinata: I wonder what changed?

Izuru: Danganronpa

 

_HUH WOW SHUICHI WAS RIGHT PART II_

Makoto: Remember the tragedy guys

Sakakura: It was also real

Hinata: Except it wasn't people killing each other but the student council breaking up or something

Izuru: But for you it was a good news

Hinata: I NEVER KNEW I HAD A BROTHER UNTIL THAT MOMENT

 

_FEMALE PROTAG_

Makoto: Ugh I can't believe they killed off our only female protag in the serie!

Komaru: Why you forgetting me ;~;

Makoto: Cause your game can be skipped

Komaru: IT'S STILL DANGANRONPA YA KNOW

 

So um... yeah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for staying as i post the rest of the chapters


	4. The countdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The countdown before the auditions begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The old final chapter of the series. I spent THREE weeks writing this shit, and I want to write one more

**Ten days before the auditions**  
  
Kokichi was awake. He was always awake, even at night. His sleeping schedules were now all messed up. It was probably from those dreams he kept having.  
  
He blinked. Those dreams.  
  
They weren't just dreams. They were the future. Like the hydraulic press. He was going to die in Momota's hands. Why did they work together anyway?  
  
~~~  
  
Amami cried. He cried and cried until he had no more tears in the day. Tsumugi would occassionally bring him breakfast, lunch and dinner, but he only eats little pieces.  
  
The room was dark. So dark. The only light source was from the window, which only shines during the day. But never at night.  
  
He doesn't have a bed to sleep in. He was chained to one of the bed's legs. He only slept sideways. So uncomfortable. He wished he had never signed up for this show.  
  
Amami never spoke to Tsumugi. He just wanted to go home. To his family. To his friends.  
  
To Kokichi.  
  
~~~  
  
Tsumugi was sitting on a bench, waiting for Keebo to arrive. She wrote on her notebook, wondering what personality she should give Keebo in his time in the virtual world.  
  
Since he wanted to be a robot (he told her before they met today), maybe he wants to fit in and try to be a real human? Maybe he'd even make a new kind of phobia? Tsumugi tapped her pencil, and, stifling a laugh, wrote Robophobia.  
  
She's going to make one of the most hilarious characters ever.  
  
~~~  
  
Momota was staring into space. Again. It was his obsessive hobby, to keep all the negative thoughts he had today. He sighed to himself.  
  
The stars are beautiful tonight. Would it be just easier to look at them, than to look at yourself?  
  
~~~  
  
Keebo covered his neck with a scarf. It was scratched (well, Ouma strangled him) and he did't want Tsumugi to panic. The scars looked like red blemishes. He hopped on Angie's car, and they drove.  
  
Keebo told her the directions along the way. To the expressway. Turn left. Right. Straight. Two hours later, Keebo saw the familiar blue hair and eyes on a mansion's porch. His mother's as rich as his father. He wondered why they divorced, though.  
  
~~~  
  
Harukawa inhaled and exhaled, and braided an orphan girl's hair. She loved braiding people's hair. She just doesn't want anyone to braid her own hair, though.  
  
Her delicate fingers delicately making tails of braids, and the girl clapping happily.  
  
Was she ready? To leave her normal, peaceful life, then replace it with a killing game?  
  
She sighed to herself. Maki can finally be a part of Danganronpa.  
  
~~~  
  
"Hi, Keebo!", Tsumugi said, waving at the blonde in the car. Keebo got out of the car and ran to Tsumugi, hugging her.  
  
"I missed you", Keebo said. "Oh, and this is my friend-and roommate- Angie." He gestured to the silver-haired girl walking towards them.  
  
"Both of you must be tired", Tsumugi cooed. "Don't worry, I'll ask the maids to prepare us dinner."  
  
The dinner in the Shirogane house was delightful. Keebo smiled at the smell of the scent of his dinner. So pleasing.  
  
"Here are some updates in Danganronpa", Tsumugi said, eating a doughnut. "There will be no breaks."  
  
"No breaks?", Keebo repeated, drinking his lattè. "Wouldn't that damage our memory and our way of thinking?"  
  
Tsumugi shrugged. "The longer you are living in the virtual world, the less you'll remember who you are in the real world."  
  
Angie ate her dinner silently. She listened to the siblings' conversation. Sometimes, she saw Tsumugi looking at her. She wondered why.  
  
"Angie, can you please tell me why you want to join Danganronpa?", Tsumugi asked. Suddenly the conversation is about her now.  
  
Angie bit on her sausage before she spoke. "I work at a casino-"  
  
"And why would someone as young as you would work at a casino?"  
  
"My parents were Christians. I came out as bi, they disowned me. End of story."  
  
Tsumugi nodded, thinking hard. Angie would make a fine, religious character, to contrast with her views in the real world. She would be dependent on her god, and will also form a student council by brainwashing students.  
  
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?", Angie asked. Tsumugi blinked and realized she was staring at Angie a little too much.  
  
"Oh, sorry, I just love your hair", Tsumugi lied.  
  
Angie mumbled a thank you and they go back to eating their dinner.  
  
~~~  
  
Kokichi should apologize to Keebo. No. He deserved it.  
  
He walked in circles, not minding the noise of children and mothers and cars, and just minding his own business.  
  
A ball was thrown at him. He didn't flinch. He just stood there, staring at a ball until a child picks it up. He went back to walking, not minding everyone.  
  
So boring.  
  
 **Nine days before the auditions**  
  
Angie met Keebo's sister yesterday. She was a nice person, but the same time all strange. Especially the whole consequences of the Danganronpa show too. Tsumugi also kept staring at her direction. She wondered why.  
  
Angie twirled her silver hair as she drew random sketches in her sketcbook. She ended up sketching all her friends. Angie wondered on how they were waiting for the auditions.  
  
~~~  
  
Shuichi was excited. What if he became the Ultimate Detective? Then he'd be like Kirigiri in the past. He can also kill people and leave no evidences. Then they'll vote the wrong person. But if Shuichi got found out, he gets executed. Oh, he can't wait to get executed.  
  
He wrote on his notebook in bold letters: Ways to get executed. He just hoped Team Danganronpa would approve of this.  
  
~~~  
  
Tsumugi transferred Rantaro in the basement of her mansion. No one knew about it except her. Maybe Amami knew that he was transferred.  
  
Amami woke up, rubbing his eyes. There was a huge glass door on his left. This doesn't look like the room he was imprisoned in. Wait. He blinked.  
  
A glass door. He ran toward it, only to be pulled back by a longer chain. Hey, at least he can move better now. There was a bed in the middle of the room. He lied down on it. So fluffy. So comfortable.  
  
He closed his eyes. He hoped he can get enough sleep.  
  
"Here's your breakfast, Rantaro!", the sweet, familiar voice filled his ears.  
  
His eyes shot open.  
  
~~~  
  
Keebo was just minding his own business, studying the garden. The flowers in their garden were beautiful, unlike his garden. Their garden was so big, it looked like a forest. He sat on a vacant bench, staring at what Mother Nature had offered to him.  
  
Then something caught his eye.  
  
Tsumugi was carrying a tray filled with dessert and breakfast. There were also a few drinks in that tray. Keebo, curious to whom that's for, followed Tsumugi stealthily.  
  
He followed his sister until Tsumugi was in front of a door. Tsumugi looked around, and, took a key from her pocket, unlocking the door. She went inside the room.  
  
Keebo followed her, and saw that there were stairs leading to the basement. He descended down the steps. Upon reaching the final steps, he heard Tsumugi's voice echo through the walls.  
  
"Here's your breakfast, Rantaro!"  
  
Keebo blinked. He followed her voice and came across the middle of the room, where he found Tsumugi. In front of her was a boy with green hair chained up on one of the bed's legs, and his eyes red upon seeing Tsumugi.  
  
"Where am I?", he asked. That voice. He knew that voice. But from where?  
  
"Just in my house, Rantaro", Tsumugi replied. "I transferred you here."  
  
"Then you didn't let me escape?", Amami said, his voice toxic. His eyes wandered around the room, until his eyes were locked with Keebo's metallic blue eyes.  
  
"And who the fuck is that?" Amami pointed at Keebo's direction. Tsumugi's eyes widened.  
  
"Keebo, what are you doing here?", she asked, concern in her voice.  
  
"Not now", Keebo said, then looked at Amami. "Tell me why he's here. In your house."  
  
~~~  
  
Amami bowed his head, tuning Tsumugi and Keebo's voices out. Who the hell is that? The boy was wearing a trench coat and a cap that obscured his eyes, but he can see spiky platimum blonde hair and metallic blue eyes.  
  
Tsumugi turned and looked at Amami with a smile. He groaned inwardly. That smile was sickening. He remained silent, not wanting to intrude.  
  
"This is my brother, Keebo", Tsumugi said, finally talking to Amami.  
  
"Nice to meet you", his voice was monotone, almost like he rehearsed that line in his head.  
  
"I don't care."  
  
Keebo flinched, and looked at Tsumugi with a blaming stare.  
  
"Tsumugi, let him go." His voice sounds demanding, and all at the same time calm. Was he really Tsumugi's sibling?  
  
Then again, maybe he just needed some rest. Or maybe little food. He's stomach was rumbling.  
  
"Give me my damn food Shirogane", he said harshly. Tsumugi looked at him with a stunned look on her face. Then she lightly smiled.  
  
"Oh? Demanding the food now?", she teased lightly, and Amami responded with a growl. Tsumugi stepped back until she gave him the tray filled with food.  
  
The food was heavenly. He hadn't eaten much in a while. That must be why he was so thin and his eyes sunk. The scones were delicious. The lattès were tasteable. Everything was tasty. He didn't want to get full. He took a bite from a buttered toast, taking in its savory contents. He didn't care if the others were looking at him like an animal.  
  
He was hungry as fuck.  
  
~~~  
  
Kokichi gasped, out of breath. He had another nightmare again. This time with the shot put ball stained red-or maybe pink?-. Whatever the case, he breathed heavily. A body was sprawled across the floor, face obscured from view. The dream was a blur anyway. No count in remembering everything that's happened.  
  
He checked his clock. It was seven-thirty in the morning. The sun's ray were lighting up his room, so he immediately went downstairs, to be greeted by his parents.  
  
Kokichi forced a smile, though his eyes say otherwise. His face got uglier as time goes on. He had shadows on his eyes, an empty gaze and disheveled hair. He didn't bother listening to everyone.  
  
These nightmares were telling him something. The future.  
  
Was it dangerous to join Danganronpa? Well, there's no way in backing out now. He sat on his chair and ate the breakfast given to him. His parents were already doing their work, no use to make contact with them.  
  
He wondered if they really cared about him. I mean, sure, they provided him basically everything he needs, but the way they accepted that he was going to audition for Danganronpa...  
  
Kokichi finished his food and cleaned his plate. He put on a checkered jacket (even though it's hot) and walked out of the house, taking one step at a time.  
  
The sun was warm. It was always warm, especially on summer. It was always one of the things that made Kokichi smile, but... it didn't make him smile after the dreams started. He just stared blankly around him, even complaining about the sun's light. He sighed to himself as he walked down the familiar, boring street. He was looking down the whole time. Why? To look depressed or homeless? He doesn't know.  
  
Kokichi found the orphanage, specifically, the orphanage where Maki lives in. He gasped for breath, his legs tired. Just how long did he walk? He was already in the middle of the city. Kokichi shrugged. He wanted to visit Maki, so he knocked on the door.  
  
Luckily, Maki was the one who answered. "Yes?" Her eyes then lit up when she saw Kokichi. "Oh, hey Kokichi. Haven't seen you in a while."  
  
"That's because you avoided me." Ouma's tone was sharp, curt. It made Maki flinch a little, especially seeing the look on his face. There was nothing readable on his face.  
  
"So, um, Kokichi, what are you doing here?", Maki asked the obvious question.  
  
Ouma shrugged. "I dunno. I was just walking and I'm suddenly here. In your place."  
  
"Um, you can come in." Maki widened the open door so Kokichi can come in.  
  
~~~  
  
Tsumugi left. But Keebo didn't. Amami wondered why he's still here, sitting down beside him. Amami couldn't care less.  
  
"Go away." Keebo shook his head.  
  
"No." Amami's eyes widened, but closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep.  
  
"I want to sleep", he announced, and hopped on the bed, chains clinking.  
  
"Of course." Keebo stood up. "Have a good rest then, Amami."  
  
Have a good rest. Amami shook his head. He can't have a good rest.  
  
Amami's mind wandered to his dreams. He dreamed again. A blonde haired girl with a pink vest and skirt. Along with her was a boy with black hair and black cap with a striped suit. And is that mascara on his eyes?  
  
But somewhere, Amami knew them. He just can't remember.  
  
~~~  
  
Kokichi ignored the noise of the children. All he wanted was to talk to Maki. Maki walked, and Kokichi followed. They passed by children that are younger than them. He doesn't care. Maki finally stopped. He looked up and saw Maki standing in front of a door. It must be her room. She turned the knob and opened it.  
  
Her room. It was small, as small as a closet. There was a pile of blankets and pillows in a corner, and a small table and chair with a bag on top of it.  
  
"I was one of the people that were granted rooms by themselves", Maki explained. Kokichi nodded.  
  
He sat down on the cracked floor tiles while waiting for Maki to clean up. He heard a voice from downstairs, calling for Maki. Maki groaned.  
  
"I'm coming!", she shouted. Then, she turned to Kokichi, sighing. "Damn it, those children need to learn how to fucking take care of themselves."  
  
She dropped the things she was holding and left the room. Kokichi can hear her stomping.  
  
~~~  
  
Tsumugi was in her room, crafting out ideas and personalities that she would be in use for. She mentioned that she was the mastermind of the new show. Oh, she can't wait.  
  
She needs to not be found out in the start of the chapter. She must frame someone else. But who would she frame? Who would she kill?  
  
 **Eight days before the auditions**  
  
Kokichi screamed. He woke Maki up, who was sleeping beside him. He thought having someone with him can make him stop having nightmares, but looks like he was wrong.  
  
"Kokichi, what the fuck was that?", Maki groaned, rubbing her head. "We were supposed to have a peaceful sleepover.  
  
Kokichi didn't answer immediately. He needed to stop breathing loudly. He calmed himself down before speaking.  
  
"Yeah, sorry." Maki grunted and turned her body away from Kokichi, probably going back to sleep. But Kokichi was still awake.  
  
"Hey, Maki?"  
  
A grunt in response.  
  
"Where's the kitchen?"  
  
"Downstairs to the right. Don't make any noise. Pretty sure you woke some people up."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kokichi untangles himself from the covers, and stood up. The floor was cold if he stepped on it with his bare feet. He also felt the cracks. It was uncomfortable sleeping on the bare floor. His back hurts. A lot. How was he able to sleep?  
  
He stepped quietly out of the room, careful not to make a sound. As he walked, he tried to remember the dream he had. It was about the shot put ball. It was in the library. With the corpse.  
  
The corpse. He stopped walking. The corpse had green hair. It can't be. It can't be Rantaro, can it? He shook his head, trying to walk again. Slowly, he made it to the kitchen.  
  
He started to prepare his coffee, since he doesn't care about sleeping anymore. He looked at the clock near the kitchen. It was just four-sixteen. Almost morning. No point in sleeping anymore.  
  
The kettle whistled and Kokichi turned it off before it made any more noise. He poured the hot water on a cup, and opened the cupboards to find a teabag. He finally found one, and dipped it in the cup with water. Tasting it to see if it actually tastes like caffeine, he started to drink it.  
  
It was complete darkness inside the house, except for the light in the kitchen. He sipped more of his coffee. He didn't go back to Maki's room. Kokichi just unlocked the door, closed it, then walked out. It was a cold morning, even though it was summer. Lampposts were everywhere, lighting up surroundings. He wore his jacket tighter, and walked away from the direction of the orphanage.  
  
He walked and walked. He walked until his legs can't carry him anymore. He was tired, and he looked up. Fortunately, he was looking at his own house.  
  
Kokichi didn't say goodbye to his parents when they went to work, probably because he wasn't there. He was in the orphanage. He also didn't ask his parents if he can sleep in his friend's house. But who the fuck cares?  
  
He didn't bother knocking. He just sat on the porch, waiting for morning. The caffeine kicked in, and he can't sleep, no matter how he tried. Hey, at least he won't dream about someone dying.  
  
~~~  
  
 _The class trial weighed heavy on his shoulders. He was now accused of the culprit, and all the people looked at him. With fear? With sadness? With anger? He can only laugh, saying how idiotic they all are. He was somewhat familiar in a sense. Who was he? He was what Shuichi wanted to be._  
  
He can only laugh. Just laugh, you monster.  
  
Shuichi woke up, with a smile on his face. His dreams were always making him feel euphoria. How good. Too bad that dream ended. He wanted more. He shrugged. Oh well. He reached for something in the darkness. He felt something thick and leathery, and he held it up.  
  
A knife. He smiled to himself as he cut himself. The pain stung, but he didn't mind. He can only laugh. Laugh at the feeling of pain. Enjoy the feeling of pain. He is, after all, a masochist. He already confirmed it. Oh, he just can't wait to audition for Danganronpa!  
  
Saihara finished, and licked the blood coming from his fingers. The copper taste filled his mouth. He moaned. Blood was his breakfast. He loved it so much. He moaned again. He licked his fingers again, until he can feel no more blood trickling down his fingers.  
  
He looked at his clock. It was still early in the morning, but he couldn't wait. He opened the light and took his notebook out of his bed. He opened to the page where he left off, him being brutally murdered and mutilated. Maybe he'd be the victim of the unsolvable Chapter Five.  
  
Saihara touched the graphite. He was a good artist, but only used it for... these purposes. He enclosed his fingers on a pencil, and started to draw. He can feel sweat between his fingers as he clenched the pencil more. He finished, then smiled at his work. It was beautiful, in a sick way.  
  
~~~  
  
The stars. They were just so hard to reach. But why? Kaito raised his hand to reach for the stars, but all he grasped was empty air. Nothing.  
  
Don't worry, he reassured himself. When you become famous, you'll reach the stars in no time.  
  
The galaxies are telling him to come to them. He wants to. That's why he's here, staying up all night, looking at the stars.  
  
The stars he can never reach, albeit with a rocketship.  
  
Kaito laughed. How cruel this world may be, he still kept his optimistic personality.  
  
The only problem is that he doesn't show it to anyone.  
  
~~~  
  
 _He touched the bookcase. It moved with his touch. A flash blinded his eyes. Confused, he looked to the way where he thought the flashlight was. Sure enough, there was a camera. He blinked. Why would there be a camera? He walked up to it. He tried to remove it, ignoring that overly annoying song. He didn't notice a shot put ball rolling through the vents. Through the books, which were arranged like a path._  
  
 _As he checked the camera, he didn't notice the shot put ball fall. It fell. And fell, until it was on the top of his head, ready to-_  
  
Amami woke up, tears streaking his face. Just what the fuck did he just dream about? Was that him? It looks like him. Was he about to... get hit by that shot put ball? Why was he dreaming that? A prophetic dream? Well, he can't let himself die. He's the damn Ultimate Survivor. The fucking Ultimate Survivor. He can't die like that.  
  
The chain clinked as he sat up, his legs dangling over the edge of the bed. It must be morning, or he woke up early again.  
  
"Rantaro! Breakfast!" Tsumugi's voice echoed from the stairs. Okay. He did wake up just in time. Tsumugi made her way to him, with a tray on her hands. Behind her was the boy-Keebo, he reminded himself- and he was staring at him.  
  
"What's he doing here?", Rantaro demanded.  
  
"I am here to take care of you." Wait. Did Amami hear that right? Someone wanted to care for him?  
  
"Okay, I have something to do", Tsumugi said, waving at them as she gave the tray to Keebo. "You guys have fun!"  
  
Now he was all alone. With this boy. What could possibly go wrong? Anything. Keebo inhaled and neared Amami.  
  
"Don't come near me", Amami warned. "Just slide the tray over to me." Keebo shook his head.  
  
"I'm not leaving you here."  
  
~~~  
  
Angie was lost. She just wondered around some parts of the mansion, and she got lost. She groaned to herself. She didn't know where her room is. She retraced her steps (well, tried to), and bumped into Tsumugi.  
  
"Oh, I'm really sorry, Miss Shirogane", Angie apologized. Tsumugi just smiled in response.  
  
"That's alright. Are you lost?"  
  
"Well, that's actually it."  
  
"Where do you want to go?"  
  
"Well..." Angie twirled her hair. "I want to go to the library."  
  
Tsumugi nodded. "The library's on the third floor. It's located between my mother's room and step-brother's. Don't worry about getting lost. There are also labels." She walked past Angie, her heels clacking over the marble tiles.  
  
Angie followed Tsumugi's imstructions, and found the library. She gasped as a marvelous sight unfolded her.  
  
~~~  
  
 _"I believe in Maki." He said, which made people question his beliefs. A boy with black hair and purple dye was sweating._  
  
 _"You... you can't be that idiotic, can you?", he said. "Our lives are at stake!"_  
  
 _A girl with black hair and green eyes looked unamused. "Yep, pretty sure he's an idiot."_  
  
 _He huffed. "Hey! Don't call me an idiot! It really hurts my feelings!"_  
  
Kaito opened his eyes, then blinked. Was that him? It doesn't sound like something he would say. He was saying he believed in Maki. People contradicted his beliefs. Especially that boy with purple hair. Was that...  
  
"Nah, can't be that shit", Kaito said to himself, then jumped of his bed, the floors thudding. What the hell was that dream about?  
  
~~~  
  
Shuichi ignored his father's voice in his head.  
  
 _"You're just a worthless, piece of shit. Nobody wants you. Don't fucking join Danganronpa. You won't become famous."_  
  
It's ironic, really. Considering that his father was Leon Kuwata, one of the cast of the first Danganronpa game, that was over a decade ago. He hadn't really seen his father's game, but it would be good not to.  
  
He lied on his bed, thinking on what he should do today. Suddenly his stomach rumbled. Maybe he was getting hungry. He sighed and got up from bed, and walked to his apartment's kitchen. He opened his cupboards to find nothing. He opened his fridge to find nothing. Fuck, he forgot to buy food. He groaned, then walked back to his room, and opened one of his desk drawers. He found his wallet, and checked if he had money. He had money. He looked at the clock. Wow. He slept really long. It was almost noon.  
  
He gathered up all his strength and went in the bathroom. After some minutes in the shower, he went to his room to dress. He looked at his clothes. What would he look like in a detective suit? Would he look good?  
  
Shuichi waited at the bus stop. He waited and waited, re-watching Danganronpa. So boring. He was eager to be in the next season already.  
  
"So, you're riding the bus too, huh?", a familiar voice asked. Shuichi dared to look up. Instead, he avoided the other one's gaze.  
  
"Oh, hey, Momota", Shuichi deadpanned.  
  
Momota just smiled, but there was no malice in it. It just looked like and ordinary smile. If he wasn't such an asshole, it'd be a perfect smile on his face.  
  
"Why don't we... talk to each other?", Momota said.  
  
"I don't want to talk to you."  
  
Momota scratched his head. "Fine, you don't want to talk to me. How 'bout I make you?"  
  
Shuichi winced at the sudden pain on his left arm. Momota was tightening his grip on it.  
  
"W-what do you want?", Shuichi asked, breathing as Momota let go of him. How can he be so strong?  
  
"Nothing", Momota said, leaning on the bench they both shared. "I just wondered why you're here, that's all."  
  
Shuichi groaned inside. "Grocery shopping."  
  
~~~  
  
"Kokichi? Where have you been?" His mother noticed he was gone? That must be impressive. For him.  
  
Kokichi looked up to meet his mother's eyes. "Went to one of my friend's house. That's about it."  
  
His mother then shook his head. "Well, come in, breakfast is ready."  
  
Kokichi obeyed and stood up, following his mother inside of his house. The smell of butter and caffeine filled the air, making Kokichi stop and savor the smell. His father was at the table, reading a newspaper with a cup of coffee on his hand. He looked up to see Kokichi, and his eyes widened.  
  
"Kokichi, you look terrible", he said. Kokichi remained silent as his mother gave hima plate with buttered toast and tea.  
  
"The pancakes will be cooked soon, don't worry", she assured him, as she went back to the kitchen.  
  
Kokichi picked up a piece of toast and took a bite from it. He savored the taste. It was so heavenly. The butter was slippery inside his mouth, but that's just one of its characteristics, right? His mother offered him a plate of pancakes, and he bit into it. He had his own tastes, and he loved sweets. But not with tea.  
  
"Mom, do we still have Panta?", he asked, eating his pancakes.  
  
"Oh, yes, we do still have some", his mother said, searching the fridge. She finally pulled out a can with a label that said Panta. Kokichi's eyes shone in delight. "Here you go."  
  
Kokichi sipped at it, savoring the tasty grape juice inside it.  
  
~~~  
  
Silence. It was silence in the basement. No one dared to speak. Amami finished his breakfast. He pushed the tray to the blonde, who received it, but didn't do anything.  
  
"Aren't you gonna leave?", Amami asked. "You're going to bring it to someone if it needs washing."  
  
"Yes, I do have a reason to leave", the other said. "Yet another part of me wish for you to have a friend."  
  
Amami blinked. A friend? Is he joking? Why would he think he needs a friend? He can't help but laugh. Just a short while until he stopped laughing.  
  
"What was so funny?", Keebo asked, tilting his head.  
  
Amami just shrugged. "Just come here." He motioned to Keebo to come forward. Keebo followed. The blonde was finally within Amami's reach. He reached for Keebo's neck.  
  
"Am-mami!", Keebo choked. "God damn it, not again!"  
  
What is he saying, not again? Did he get strangled in the past? No wonder why he was wearing a scarf. But Amami couldn't care less.  
  
"Amami! Stop!", Keebo shouted between gasps and heaves. Good. He's having trouble breathing. Amami dug into his skin.  
  
"You remind me of how Ouma strangled me!" Amami let go of Keebo's neck. His arms went slack beside his body.  
  
"What did you say?" Amami shook his head. Kokichi wouldn't do something like that, would he?  
  
"About Ouma...?", Keebo asked, a little far from Amami. Good.  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"Okay", Keebo exhaled, then began. "Someone blackmailed him into auditioning for Danganronpa."  
  
"What?", Amami couldn't believe his ears. Someone blackmailed his best friend into joining Danganronpa? He only knew a group of people who can do that.  
  
"And he agreed." Keebo continued. "It has something to do with me, so he got angry, and almost strangled me if Saihara hadn't slapped him."  
  
Amami just stared at him. Kokichi... wouldn't do something like that. Maybe he did do it. But that's not Kokichi.  
  
~~~  
  
"I need coffee packs." Shuichi read his grocery list aloud as Kaito pushed the cart.  
  
How did it end up like this? They were just being toxic to each other a minute ago and now they were shopping like the best of friends.  
  
Kaito grunted. "Do we need all of these, Saihara? We'll just leave it to rot in your house when you audition for Danganronpa."  
  
Shuichi shrugged. "I couldn't care less."  
  
"Well then." Kaito put one coffee pack in the cart. "What else?"  
  
Shuichi looked at the list. "I don't know for you, but I need loaf of bread."  
  
Kaito nodded. "Okay, then."  
  
~~~  
  
"Maki, I need you to clean the kitchen", she ordered, and Maki sighed.  
  
"Sure, Ma'am."  
  
She grabbed the broom and started sweeping the kitchen, whose floors were covered with shards of glass. Those kids never learn. She accidentally stepped on one and she cursed under her breath as throbbing pain made its way to her foot. She dropped the broom and limped her way to her room.  
  
She opened her drawers and found her first aid kit. She cleaned her wound and removed the glass shard stuck to it. She carefully bandaged the wound and threw the shard into a nearby trash can.  
  
"Maki! I don't think I see a clean kitchen!" A voice called below.  
  
"Yes! I'm coming!" Maki walked down the stairs to do her cleaning duty again.  
  
She sighed as she finally put the last piece of a glass shard in a garbage bag. She wiped her forehead, which was full of sweat.  
  
"Maki! Are you done? Clean every single room in the second floor!" Maki groaned.  
  
As she sweeped through the rooms, she wondered what life would be like in Danganronpa. She can be in control. She always wanted to be in control, to act as a leader. If she was in control, she could be the mastermind everyone wants to be. She can control people, and people will follow her.  
  
No one can control her ever again.  
  
~~~  
  
Dinner in the Momota house was very quiet, you can hear people chewing. That's basically Kaito's situation today. His grandparents were just eating, not addressing Kaito in some way. Did he do something wrong?  
  
"Are you sure?", his grandmother spoke up.  
  
Kaito looked up, chewing his food. "Sure of what?"  
  
"Of joining that... horrid game", his grandfather said.  
  
Kaito groaned. "I told you for how many times. I want to join the game. I need to."  
  
"That game is-"  
  
"I know what you'll say!" Kaito banged the table, making his grandparents flinch.  
  
Kaito realized what he'd done and retracted his hand from the table. He stood up.  
  
"I'm done eating."

 

He walked to his room, which was just across the dining room. Kaito opened the door and was met with the sight of space-themed walls and galaxy-themed ceilings. He sighed to himself, letting his aesthetics calm him down.  
  
He opened his window and set a foot on the window sill. He took a deep breath, and climbed. The cold, night air punched him in the face. How breezy the night is. He looked up to see the dots in the sky. The stars Kaito have always admired from afar.  
  
He steadied himself as he climbed up the roof, the slippery tiles making him slip once in a while. He goes to the rooftop to think. And also stargaze. Those stars always made him calm down. He lied down to get a better view of the stars.  
  
He sighs to himself. The stars were billions of light years away. It'd be impossible to reach them. But once he gets famous, he won't think it's impossible.  
  
 **Seven days before auditions**  
  
 _A blood-stained tank. With piranhas swimming everywhere. Everyone looked at it, horrified. Himiko was nowhere to be found._  
  
Kokichi woke up. He didn't scream this time. Why would he when these dreams kept happening to him? He sighed and went to fix himself in the bathroom.  
  
He had gotten taller in a few weeks after summer. Probably taller than Keebo. He combed his messy hair. His black strands were invading the purple color, turning it to a messy, poorly-dyed hair. It also grew longer, but that's about it. His eyes, as he can see in the mirror, were devoid of life. He finished washing himself and opened his closet to look for fresh clothes. He picked a black polo shirt and pants to go along with it.  
  
He came downstairs to see his parents eating breakfast. They greeted him a good morning. Kokichi didn't respond. He just sat down and started eating what's on his plate.  
  
~~~  
  
"What are your hobbies, Amami?", Keebo asked, sipping a cup of tea as he waited for Amami to answer.  
  
Amami looked at him, but didn't say anything conceding. "Well, I like watching documentaries of adventurers traveling around the-"  
  
He went silent. That wasn't his hobby. That was the other Amami's hobby. He was, after all, the Ultimate Adventurer. Not him.  
  
Keebo continued, not noticing Amami's sudden stop. "What food do you like?"  
  
Amami thought for a moment, before clicking his tongue. "I love kinds of foreign food. They, of course would- ngh!"  
  
Amami pretended to clear his throat. Why? Why was he saying his virtual avatar's hobbies and favorite foods? He concentrated hard to remember what his favorite food in the real world was. He tried. But nothing popped inside his mind. Does that mean...  
  
he doesn't remember who he is in this world?  
  
Amami breathed heavily. Keebo looked at him with a concerned face.  
  
"Please eat your breakfast, Amami", he said politely. Amami looked down at his tray. It laid cold, untouched. Amami started to eat.  
  
"Ask another question", Amami demanded while eating.  
  
"Of course." Keebo looked through his 'conversation cards' to find what he was looking. "Ah! There it is!" Amami stopped eating to listen to Keebo.  
  
"What is your sexual orientation?", Amami thought for a moment, then shuddered to himself. His father had never accepted him when he came out.  
  
"I'm..." Amami hesitated. Keebo smiled.  
  
"It's alright, I won't judge."  
  
Amami breathed. "I'm a bisexual." Keebo smiled.  
  
"How did you come to know your own orientation?"  
  
"I... fell in love with him."  
  
~~~  
  
Kokichi sat on a bench, ignoring the children screaming. He dug his hands in his checkered jacket, and kept his head down. It was hot in summer, but that never bothered him. He doesn't care how sweaty he is right now.  
  
"Hey." He looked up to see Kaede. Oh fuck. He kept his head bowed and moved over, not acknowledging her.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Oh good. She didn't recognize him. Kokichi stayed silent. Kaede didn't question any further.  
  
He and Kaede sat there for an excruciating amount of time, because when Kokichi looked up, he can see the sun right above him.  
  
"Oh, it's you." Now she finally noticed. Kokichi scoffed.  
  
"Yeah, took you like, two hours to notice", he taunted, liking the surprised look on Akamatsu's face.  
  
"Whatever", Akamatsu said, crossing her arms.  
  
~~~  
  
"What do you want from me, Kaito?", Shuichi asked, fiddling with his phone as Momota sat down beside him.  
  
"I dunno", the other replied, staring at whereever he was staring at.  
  
It was almost noon, and they were at the bus stop. Again.  
  
"No, seriously, what do you want?"  
  
"Just wanna hang out with someone."  
  
"You can always go to your friends, not me."  
  
"What are you waiting for again?"  
  
"A bus, obviously."  
  
"Yeah, it's obvious, but why are you waiting for the bus?"  
  
Shuichi sighed. "Just leave me alone."  
  
Just in time, the bus arrived, and Shuichi gathered up his things, leaving Momota behind. He should leave him behind. He's an asshole, after all.  
  
~~~  
  
Keebo was on his phone as he waited for Amami to move his chess piece. Amami had a thoughtful look on his face, concentrating very hard on the board. Keebo was winning. He won't let that happen. Keebo then got a message from Akamatsu, and, curiously, he opened it. He opened his mouth.  
  
Akamatsu had a picture she messaged to Keebo, with a text that read: **Hope u rnt scared of hm rn.**  
  
The picture was her and Kokichi. But it doesn't look like the Kokichi he knew. He was a lot taller in this picture, almost reaching up to Kaede's abdomen. He might probably taller than Keebo was. He was wearing a checkered jacket (who wears a jacket in summer?) and black pants. His hair was turning black, its purple dye dulling, but still visible. His hair was a little longer too. His eyes had shadows from lack of sleep. He had a blank look on his face, while Akamatsu was smiling as brightly as the sun.  
  
"What's that?", Amami asked, looking up from the chess board.  
  
"Um, well..." Keebo showed him the picture. Amami's eyes widened.  
  
"Is that... Kokichi?", Amami asked, looking at the picture with wide eyes. Keebo nodded.  
  
Amami blinked. He blinked again. Is this... Kokichi now? Kokichi after he left? He looked emptier. Devoid of life. If he was going to audition for Danganronpa, Amami would just walk in front of him and hug him. He really missed Kokichi.  
  
Keebo put his phone inside his pockets, then looked at the chess board and at Amami again.  
  
"So... have you made your move?"  
  
~~~  
  
"You'd look great in this, Angie!" Tsumugi dug into a pile of fabric and found an oversized yellow trenchcoat.  
  
"I'm just wearing a bikini top and a skirt", Angie deadpanned. "What do you even want to do with me?"  
  
"Just a little something", Tsumugi replied, throwing the trenchcoat to Angie. "Now wear this."  
  
"Um... sure."  
  
Tsumugi clapped. "You look absolutely great, Angie! You look like a Danganronpa character!"  
  
Angie blushed. "Really? Thanks."  
  
~~~  
  
 _"Shuichi... you can't do this!"; his victim screamed and shrieked as he cut off their arm. Shuichi just laughed, not minding the blood splattering on his clothes. He raised the saw and hacked off another part of his body. The victim screamed. Their screams filled Shuichi with nostalgia._  
  
His eyes opened. Shuichi whined silently. That was a really good dream. Why did it have to cut out like that? Well, whatever. He was already at Maki's orphanage. He hopped off the bus and knocked the door. It opened and Maki's head poked out the door.  
  
"It's just me, Saihara Shuichi." Shuichi said with a wave.  
  
"I know who you are", Maki said, smiling. "Come on inside, Shuichi."  
  
Maki closed the door, and after a few seconds of the door clinking and clacking, Maki reopened the door a lot wider this time. Shuichi followed behind her and passed orphan children on the living room. They finally reached a door and Maki opened it. This must be her room, obviously.  
  
"What do you want to talk about?", Shuichi asked, sitting on a stool as Maki sorted her living situation.  
  
"We're just gonna catch up." Maki finished cleaning, and sat beside Shuichi. Shuichi smiled.  
  
"That's it? I'm pretty sure I'm going to bore you..."  
  
"I... also want us to pretend we're already auditioning for Danganronpa", Maki cut in.  
  
"I... see." Shuichi put his hands on the small coffee table. It's really smart of Maki to do this. I mean, well, so they can be mentally and emotionally prepared for the questions that will be thrown at them.  
  
Maki cleared her throat. "So, I think interviews goes like this. What's your name and what's your reason to join Danganronpa?"  
  
Shuichi was silents as he gathered his thoughts. Just think of a proper way to say his name, think of a proper reason why he wanted to join Danganronpa. Think that Maki is really the one interviewing him, not just some person whom his friends with.  
  
"My name is Shuichi Saihara." That's a nice introduction. Though it is only a rehearsal, he's doing great, so far. "The reason why I want to join Danganronpa is because I want to be a someone, not a nobody.  
  
"I've always been a fan of Danganronpa since I ever saw it, so, I want to be a part of one! I can be in the side where hope is, or the side where despair is. It's all up to you to decide!" Maki smiled.  
  
"That was a good introduction. Okay, next question." Shuichi braced himself for another question. "If you're in the Danganronpa setting, what is your Ultimate Talent?"  
  
"I want to be the Ultimate Detective", he said with no hesitation. After all, that's what he wanted to be, right?  
  
"Why did you choose that talent?" Of course, Maki knew.  
  
Shuichi thought for a moment. He had loved the detectives in the past, but he never saw them commit murder. He's about to break that record. Hell, he's already planned his own execution.  
  
"I'm curious", Shuichi began, rehearsing his other sentences inside his head. "I want to see if I can commit a murder, and get away with it. I want to see if they can find out who the real killer is. And if they do, I'd be really eager to start my execution! I have a perfect execution for the Ultimate Detective."  
  
Maki nodded. "That was good. I like how you put your heart out on little things like this."  
  
Shuichi scoffed. "These aren't little things, Maki. These are big things."  
  
~~~  
  
"How do you win so easily?", Rantaro let out a frustrated growl as Keebo took his king piece.  
  
"Years of practice", Keebo said. "I have played chess with my father since I was young."  
  
They continued to converse and play board games, until Tsumugi came with Rantaro's lunch.  
  
"Here's your lunch, Rantaro!", she said happily.  
  
Tsumugi set the tray down between Rantaro and the chess board, then left rather hurriedly. Keebo looked back with a confused expression on his face. Rantaro didn't mind. He started to eat and drink as they both played chess. His lunch was seafood. For many rounds, Keebo obviously won. It made Rantaro frustrated.  
  
"Why?!", Rantaro let out a sigh as they played chess the fifty-second time.  
  
Keebo chuckled. "It's alright; it takes years of practice after all."  
  
~~~  
  
Kaito was watching the sunset. It was a beautiful sight, the orange, red and violet clashing together, as they make way for the night. He can already see the stars, calking for him, telling him to reach to them, so high. But he stopped watching. There was something grave happening in his house. He ran to the house in the distance, everything turning to a blur as he ran even faster. As he neared his house, he heard muffled crying from the household.  
  
Panicking, he forced open the door (even though it's unlocked) and saw his grandmother caressing his grandfather. Kaito looked at his grandfather with a horrified look. His grandfather suffered a lot of heart attacks. But he managed to live through it. Yet now, it doesn't look like he's breathing.  
  
"He's... dead." His grandmother spoke between tears. "I checked his heartbeat."  
  
Even though it was confirmed he was dead, Kaito, ran to his grandfather, also cradling him. Tears clouded his vision, as he looked at his grandfather's serene face. A tear ran down his cheek and dropped on his grandfather's. He cried. He didn't try to stop it. He cried loudly. He didn't care if people heard him.  
  
He lived with them through many years, from childhood to adolescence. He always had fights with them, and a bad relationship with his grandparents, but they were very passive about him. He remembered his last words to his grandfather.  
  
 _"Knock on my door before you enter, you moron."_  
  
He cried even more. He wished these weren't the last words he spoke to him. Now he can't take that back.  
  
~~~  
  
"Well, it's past my bedtime." Keebo and Rantaro cleaned their dinner. Rantaro looked disappointed, since he'll be alone again. He was always alone. He loved Keebo's company.  
  
The sound of clacking heels filled the room as Tsumugi entered the basement with pillows and a blanket on her arms. Rantaro was confused as Tsumugi made his bed and Keebo helped too, adding the additional pillows. Keebo told Tsumugi he has to take a shower, so Tsumugi was alone with Rantaro.  
  
"What's with the bed?", Rantaro asked while hopping on the bed, his chain softly clinking.  
  
"Keebo offered to make the bed for you", Tsumugi replied. "He's also going to sleep with you tonight." Rantaro's eyes widened.  
  
"He's going to... what?" Suddenly, Rantaro felt self-conscious about himself. He hadn't thought about himself when he participated in Danganronpa, so he had never took a bath since then.  
  
"I'm here!" Keebo came to the basement with a fresh set of clothes. His hair wasn't spiky, instead, it lay wet below his neck. It was strange seeing him with his hair down, but he looked pretty. Rantaro looked at the set of clothes on his arms.  
  
"Whose is that?", Rantaro asked, pointing at the clothes.  
  
"Yours", Keebo said, handing it to Rantaro. "I believe those are the same clothes you had since first day?"  
  
Rantaro said nothing, but accepted the clothes Keebo gave him.  
  
~~~  
  
Kokichi went back to his house after that encounter with Kaede. It was almost dinnertime. He opened the door to his house to see his parents preparing the dinner on the dining table. Without addressing them, Kokichi sat on the chair across from them and started eating.  
  
"Kokichi?", his mother spoke up, her fork scraping her plate.  
  
"Yes, mother?" Kokichi didn't bother looking up.  
  
"We are both proud of you." Kokichi stopped chewing his food.  
  
"What?" Never heard a phrase like that from his parents' mouths. Of course, they did 'love' him, but he thinks it was just fake. "For what?"  
  
"We're proud that you want to join Danganronpa", his father said with a smile. "We will support you from then on."  
  
Kokichi faked a smile. "...Thanks."  
  
He lied awake at night, thinking about what his parents said. He doesn't care about their false words and misguided advice. Nothing is worth remembering anyways. He wanted a new life. If this simulation transforms him to a monster, then so be it. He closed his eyes, his breathing going even as he dreamed about.  
  
 _A blue haired girl watches from a room near the library. She waited for the ball to roll on top of Rantaro's head, but it didn't. Instead, it just fell right in front of him. Distracted, the girl made her move as she ran behind Rantaro and killed him with her own shot put ball. Blood was everywhere._  
  
~~~  
  
Rantaro was still awake. He heard Keebo sleeping beside him. He avoided Keebo's legs and arms as much as possible. It was difficult, since Keebo's a spooner in bed. The bed was comfy and soft, Rantaro can be able to sleep in it. If it wasn't for that hard chain that limits him from moving his legs on the bed. He slept, then dreamed.  
  
 _-it missed his head. Puzzled, he tried investigating where it came from when he heard the sound of clacking heels and-_  
  
 _his whole world stopped spinning._  
  
 **Six days before the auditions**  
  
 _Candle. She needed to look for a candle, to start the ritual. Come on, just find a room with a candle in it. She finally found the middle room, and open the door to see a person wearing a mask cutting a cross piece. She asked what the person was doing, but he lifted the floorboard he was carrying. With one single smack, she fell to the floor, unconscious._  
  
Angie laid on her bed, sweating. She recalled the dream she had. Was that her? It seemed like it. She took a walk downstairs to bump into Tsumugi.  
  
"Ah, sorry." Angie fixed her ruffled clothes and hair, appearing to not look like she had just got up from her bed.  
  
Tsumugi smiled. "It's alright. Come on, let's go to the dining hall."  
  
Angie followed the blue haired girl into the dining hall, and was surprised to see that Keebo was not here yet. He was the earliest to get up from bed and eat breakfast.  
  
"Keebo has some... things to do." Tsumugi sat down, and she patted the seat next to her. Angue sat down to the sit Tsumugi patted, and they started eating.  
  
What she didn't expect was a low voice calling her name.  
  
"Angie? What are you doing here?"  
  
Angie looked up from her breakfast to see Rantaro. After a year of not seeing him, he had changed. His vibrant green hair turned to a dull green, his eyes were filled with shadows, his body was thin and desperately needs more food. She almost dropped her spoon.  
  
"Rantaro?"  
  
Tsumugi looked at Keebo with a glare.  
  
~~~  
  
"I want to eat breakfast with you guys." His words shocked Keebo.  
  
"You'll just run away."  
  
"I have no faith in running from my destined life anymore."  
  
Keebo thought for a moment. "I see." He took a key from his pocket and unlocked Rantaro's legs from the metal chain. Instead of running away like Keebo expected, he stayed put.  
  
"It feels good to have that chain not wrapped around my leg." Rantaro sighed while smiling. "It was very heavy."  
  
"Now, let us go to the dining hall for breakfast."  
  
Rantaro followed Keebo out of the basement. The outside of the basement was like heaven in Rantaro's eyes. People walked left and right, paying no mind to Keebo and Rantaro at all. The hallways were long and winding, it might even be great exercise to their body. Keebo stopped at a large door granded with fake jewelries and silver. Keebo knocked and went in. Rantaro followed him.  
  
The dining hall was filled with the scent of breakfast in the air. Rantaro also found Tsumugi and another person, who was already eating. He stopped. That person...  
  
"Angie? What are you doing here?", he found himself saying. The girl looked up. It was Angie. She almost dropped her spoon.  
  
"Rantaro?"  
  
~~~  
  
"Kaede... did you steal my phone?", Shinguji looked at his bag to find no phone at all. Akamatsu giggled.  
  
"Nope!", she replied with a smile. "Not at all!"  
  
Shinguji calmly sighed. "Please don't tell me you threw it in the water."  
  
Iruma scoffed. "C'mon, Kiyo! You'd already know that this bitch likes throwing phones in the water!" Akamatsu chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, she's right." She pointed at the bathroom with a smug smile. "Basin. Bathroom."  
  
Shinguji groaned loudly. "Sister's going to be angry about this!" He ran to the bathroom while Akamatsu laughed.  
  
"Bitch!", Iruma shouted to Akamatsu.  
  
~~~  
  
"Keebo! Why did you let him out?!", Tsumugi demanded as they were alone in the dining hall. Angie and Rantaro went to speak to themselves alone.  
  
Keebo started fiddling with his fingers. "Well, he did say he has no faith in escaping, so... I let him eat breakfast with us."  
  
Tsumugi sighed, putting her head on her palms. "You're so naïve, Keebo. Stop falling for Rantaro. But that's too late, isn't it? You've fallen hard for him."  
  
Keebo shook his head. What is she saying? "I just had some sort of trust, Tsumugi, not because I fell hard for him. Whatever that means."  
  
Tsumugi glared at him, causing Keebo to flinch. "I'll keep a close eye on him if he does something fishy."  
  
Keebo just sat and ate his breakfast. Fell hard for Rantaro...? What does that mean? Well, yes, he is fascinated by him, but that doesn't mean he 'fell' for him. Whatever that word means.  
  
~~~  
  
Rantaro wanted to tell Angie what he's been through. He wanted to tell her that Danganronpa is not a game she should participate in. But she looked so happy talking about how she wanted to be in the world of Danganronpa. He forced a smile as they walked to the gardens.  
  
"What about Kokichi?", Rantaro asked her.  
  
Angie's smile wavered a bit. "I haven't really communicated with him the past week."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Well, he strangled Keebo." Oh. This again.  
  
"I- okay then."  
  
They finally reached the gardens. The green-haired boy gasped at the sight of it. There were many blooming flowers and butterflies that sipped their nectar. There were trees that bear fruit. Some of the maids are already picking out a fruit from some trees. Angie looked at him and smiled. They sat on a white porcelain bench.  
  
"It's beautiful, isn't it?", Angie asked, staring at the bushes with flowers.  
  
"Yeah, it is", Rantaro agreed.  
  
They watched the beautiful sight of the garden. That garden was filled with beautiful flowers and foliage. It made them forget why they were there. It made them forget that the world wasn't a garden.  
  
 **Five days before the auditions**  
  
Everything was the same. From five hundred years time, their routine was still the same. Kaito will mourn his grandfather's death, telling himself it's going to be okay. No. He's not okay. He was never okay. What was wrong with him?  
  
After his grandfather's death, he thought about how he acted. He shuddered. He was such an asshole. He had noticed that now. There's no chance in redeeming himself with his grandparents. He decided to force himself to redeem. To reform.  
  
To be a better person.  
  
He knocked on Saihara's apartment door. He scratched his head. This must be Saihara's place, right? A muffled voice came from the other side of the door. A few seconds later Saihara opened the door. Kaito stifled a laugh.  
  
Saihara blinked. "What's funny?"  
  
"Did you get out of bed?", Kaito joked. Saihara looked up and saw his disheveled hair. He blushed, embarrassed.  
  
"Um, yeah."  
  
He fixed his hair with his hands.  
  
"So, what are you doing here, Momota?"  
  
"I just wanna hang out with you", Kaito said, scratching his head.  
  
Saihara's eyes widened, then he opened his mouth. "I don't want to hang out with you."  
  
Kaito frowned. "Why not?"  
  
"Well", Shuichi said. "You're an asshole."  
  
Shuichi prepared for Kaito's strike. But it never happened. Instead, Kaito laughed.  
  
"Jeez, Shuichi!", Kaito laughed.  
  
This threw Shuichi off the wall. Kaito Momota... was laughing? Shuichi liked thus kind of laugh. Very carefree, optimistic sounding. Shuichi smiled a bit as he listened to Kaito's laugh more.  
  
Kaito stopped laughing, but was still smiling. "You look better when you smile, Shuichi."  
  
Shuichi went red. Kaito was also complimenting him? What is this?  
  
"Let's hang out." Kaito put an arm around Saihara. "You look really pale. You need more sunlight, Shuichi."  
  
"Don't call me by my first name", Shuichi said, removing Kaito's arm around his shoulders. "We're not that close."  
  
"What if I want to be close?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Shuichi was very confused. Why was Kaito... trying to be so nice to him? He's someone Kaito would pick on, and always will. People like them don't become friends with like him. So, why was he calling him by his first name? Only his friends called him by his first name. His parents never do. It made him feel like an outcast from his parents. That's why he was always with his uncle.  
  
Shuichi sighed. "Fine, I'll allow you to call me by my first name. But don't touch me."  
  
Kaito scratched his head. "Jeez, forbidding me to touch you? I won't do anything... weird."  
  
"...Shut up."  
  
~~~  
  
 _It was the hydraulic press again. But there was no blood beneath it. And it was open. There were two wounded people, one half-naked and the other without his jacket on him._  
  
 _The one without the jacket seemed to be holding the other's clothes._  
  
 _They went their separate ways. The one carrying the clothes went as far as possible from the hydraulic press, but the other went toward the press._  
  
 _The boy laid down, eyes closed._  
  
 _He was waiting for his end._  
  
Then again, Kokichi woke up before the boy was crushed alive. Before he was crushed alive.  
  
That was a brutal murder. Did he... orchestrate it? It seemed so. The boy was Kaito, he assumed. It had to be him.  
  
He looked out the window, which was covered by a dark curtain. Yet he can see rays of light spreading in his room.  
  
It's morning.  
  
He dressed in some of his casual clothes and went downstairs, expecting to see his mother and father on the dining hall. But nobody was there. He went to the fridge to get Panta juice, and that's where he saw it: a letter from his parents. He read it.  
  
 _Kokichi,_  
  
 _We're sorry we have to leave so early. We're also sorry that we didn't make you breakfast. Don't worry, there's some money on the table._  
  
 _~Your parents_  
  
Kokichi blinked. He ripped the paper from the fridge and tore it apart. He didn't know why he did it, though. He found the money his parents had told him, and he took a small portion of it.  
  
He took the keys from the mat outside and locked the door to the house. He then put the keys in the mat, securing them.  
  
He put on his jacket and walked. Kokichi saw a coffee shop just two blocks away from his house. It was one of his favorite coffee shops. He went inside it, the doorbell tinkling. He was greeted with the scent of coffee in the air, with the mix of the desserts the coffee shops also sell. He made his way to the counter.  
  
"I'd like one cup of lattè, please", Kokichi said. "And a box of muffins."  
  
He waited for his order by sitting on a table alone. He took out his phone, which he had taken with him, to write. It always made him relax, even in hard times.  
  
"Heeey, Ouma", Akamatsu sat down next to him, giggling like an idiot she is.  
  
Kokichi groaned. Can't he just have some peace and quiet for one day?  
  
"Akamatsu", he said in a monotone manner.  
  
Akamatsu smiled and took his phone from him. Kokichi cursed, and begged to Akamatsu to give it back.  
  
"Nope!", Akamatsu said in an energetic manner. Akamatsu started scrolling in his phone, but then pouted. "Wow, no Danganronpa fan fictions. Wait, is this the Fate series' theme song?"  
  
"Give that back!", Kokichi said and once the blonde was caught off-guard, he grabbed his phone from her.  
  
Akamatsu just giggled. "So dense, Kokichi."  
  
"Yeah, I'm dense." Kokichi sat back down. The waitress then gave him what he ordered, and he paid her the proper amount. Akamatsu took a muffin from him, but he didn't object.  
  
He's just having a normal breakfast.  
  
~~~  
  
"Shuichi, have you ever played video games before?", Kaito asked, giving Shuichi a game controller.  
  
"No", Shuichi said, looking down. Kaito smiled.  
  
"I'll tell you everything you should know."  
  
Kaito taught Shuichi the basic controls, and now Kaito opened the play station.  
  
"We're playing Danganronpa, right?", Shuichi asked.  
  
Kaito laughed. "Obviously."  
  
They played Danganronpa until sundown. Shuichi leaned unto Kaito, and the boy gently patted him on the back.  
  
I think I'm starting to feel like a better person. He smiled to himself, closing his eyes. They will both be proud of me.  
  
 **Four days before the auditions**  
  
 _"Well, Kaede, you're most certainly not boring." Ouma said with an unreadable face._  
  
 _He was fascinated by Akamatsu's ambition, to try and kill the mastermind. But that plan backfired, and the first kill was made._  
  
 _Poor Rantaro. Poor Kaede._  
  
 _Kokichi then looked back at Tsumugi, who had a smug grin on her face. He blinked, and it was gone, replaced with a teary eyed expression._  
  
 _There's another liar in this school. And this one is more complex._  
  
Kokichi looked at himself in the mirror. So much have changed about himself, and he hates it. He yawned loudly, and went downstairs to eat breakfast.  
  
Then again, his parents weren't present. He sighed. He went to the fridge to get Panta juice, then looked up the wall clock. It was already seven.  
  
In his dream, he suspected the mastermind to be the girl in the fifty-second game. Shirogane Tsumugi. She must've done something to Akamatsu and Rantaro. Akamatsu tried to kill the mastermind, but ended up killing Rantaro. Kokichi shuddrered at the thought of this. He decided to go to Maki's orphanage.  
  
~~~  
  
"Harukawa!", the owner of the orphanage shouted, making Maki woke up with a groan. She scratched her head.  
  
"I'll be down there in a minute", Maki said from the gap in her room.  
  
She dressed in her casual clothes and ran down the stairs, not minding the thuds she made as she went down. As she reached the last step of the stairs, she felt pain on her right cheek.  
  
"You're late, Harukawa", the owner of the orphanage said.  
  
"Sorry, Ms. Ikusaba", Maki apologized.  
  
Name sound familiar? Well, that's because Ms. Ikusaba, or Mukuro Ikusaba, was kinda a participant in the very first Danganronpa game. Was killed by her own sister in the world, but in real life, they were the best of friends.  
  
"Anyway", Ikusaba said. "I need you to cook everyone's breakfast. Then after that, clean everyone's rooms." She walked off to another direction.  
  
Maki sighed as she went to the kitchen, which was dirty. A lot of children needed breakfast, so she got to work immediately. She tied her hair so it won't bother her and make her work easy.  
  
After a hard day of cooking and cleaning, she actually felt proud of herself. She went back to her room and lied on her matress, sighing to herself.  
  
Four more days. Four more days before they audition for Danganronpa. What will she say? What should she do? Will she get accepted? She hoped so.  
  
Hope. Disgusting. She almost spat on the floor as she thought of that word. She was on the despair side of the fans, she just loved to see the main characters suffer.  
  
What will be her hope? What will be her despair?  
  
Four more days and time will tell.  
  
 **Three. Two. One.**  
  
Nothing was ever the same. The last three remaining days had been a blur. Shuichi started to grow attached to Kaito, but then remembered that they won't remember their relationship in the virtual world. It made him feel sadder. He wanted to be friends with him, and he knows that something was bugging Kaito. He didn't press what was bugging him. He was trying to change. Shuichi can see that. Hell, Saihara wanted to forget about his masochism. How the hell did he even become so obsessed with blood anyway? He called his father, telling him he's not going to change his mind.  
  
His calm endeavor came crashing down as he heard his father's choked sobs from the end of the line. Shuichi gulped, as he had never heard his father break down before. Leon Kuwata was always so ill-tempered, but hearing him sob... breaks his heart. They just weren't the closest.  
  
Shuichi hung up on his father, not even giving him the time to say something. Just hearing him choke and sob was depressing him more. He walked back to his apartment, thinking about the time everything was so damn happy, eleven years ago. Before Danganronpa even became a thing.  
  
He thought of the times his father was very happy, even though he was married to Shuichi's mother so young. That was then. Now, he doesn't even look at his mother anymore. Leon and she had divorced, and Shuichi only thought it was Danganronpa. That must be the answer. So that's why he didn't bother to tell her.  
  
He's such an awful person. He took out a razor blade from the drawers and sliced his arm. He winced and moaned, both from pain and ecstasy. He was disgusted at himself, but that's him.  
  
~~~  
  
Kaito's grandfather's funeral was today. It was a sunny day, unlike those clichè movies where when there's a funeral the weather was dark and cold. But today was a bright and warm sunny day. It would be perfect for playing outside if it weren't for his grandfather's funeral.  
  
The weather sickened him. It felt like the day was disrespecting his grandfather.  
  
His parents were also there. Why the hell are they there? They did nothing to them. They didn't bother to visit their only child and parents. They were just so fucking busy with their astronaut shit. It made Kaito angry to see his parents here.  
  
And to prove his parents' insolence, he told them he was going to join Danganronpa. They ignored him, not looking at Kaito in the eye. They were always like that.  
  
They've never been a happy family. When he was a child, he just thought they were really busy with their work, but after the foot race, they just told him he'll be staying with his grandparents from now on. He just thought it was because they have business trips. No. That was the time his parents stopped loving him.  
  
He's going to join Danganronpa. He's going to join it not to make his parents proud, but to atone for his sins as a normal citizen. Make him someone he hates. Make him an Ultimate Astronaut, so he can look at his parents with their work. Make him an optimist. Make him an idiot. Make him believe in people easily.  
  
He doesn't care. As long as he can atone for his sins. As long as he can be a different person.  
  
Make him someone they love.  
  
~~~  
  
Maki Harukawa was abandoned five years ago by her bastard father. She almost died if it weren't for encountering Enoshima, the sister of Ikusaba. She became traumatized of dying, but was very discreet about it. There were times that she became so subtle about death. Like the times she had to climb the fence at the back of school.  
  
She was attached to the people in the orphanage, especially Ms. Ikusaba. Though she may be strict with her, she had a good heart. She even told her her experiences in Danganronpa. Though they were short, Maki found interest in the game.  
  
She was given a phone by Ms. Ikusaba, and searched up Danganronpa. She was very surprised that it was already in the twenty-fifth season. She became obsessed with its killing game, even though she was traumatized of death.  
  
She met Ouma in her first class, and she was the only one who knew of his hatred towards Danganronpa. Though Maki doesn't show it, she can get very angry at Ouma for not having the same preferences. But she shrugged that off since she knows Ouma needs a friend.  
  
She met the others in Ouma's study group. They talked about Danganronpa a lot and left Ouma out, but managed to let Ouma in.  
  
She has to ask herself why she wanted to join a game that can destroy her mentally and emotionally. To ask herself why she fell in love with a game whose concept was death. She asked herself that everyday.  
  
She doesn't know the answer.  
  
~~~  
  
Angie hated working. But it had to be her fault for getting disowned by her shit parents. She fortunately found an abandoned house. The owner took pity for her and gave her the house for free. She spent the entire year cleaning and making it look like home.  
  
She tried job applications. She wasn't even starting in high school yet but she got a job in a casino. In a damn casino, that's for eighteen-year-olds and above. She'd often be seen by customers as a small adult woman, making her uncomfortable around them all.  
  
Angie's manager, Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko, lets her drink whenever she wants to. If it doesn't affect her job of course. She drank on the second week of her job. She didn't care if she was underage. She just wanted to feel bliss. To feel ignorance.  
  
Angie drank two bottles the night before new year. It was a blur, and she asked Kuzuryuu about it. Kuzuryuu told Angie she was breaking down and sobbing on the casino floors, and was too drunk to even stand up. So he asked Pekoyama, his wife, to take her home.  
  
It was hilarious. Her parents told her she can be honest about her feelings, but then, when she comes out of the closet as a bisexual, they kick her out. She has to love their hypocrisy.  
  
She thought about those Christian extremists that were her parents and her sister, who wasn't really into their religion, and still talked to her. She has her contact number in her phone. But like stupid Christian extremists that ramble on about the bible, they also forbade her sister to talk to Angie, even on the phone. Angie feared that her sister would be brainwashed by those shit parents of theirs, but oh well.  
  
This is why she wanted to join Danganronpa. To let her sister see her again. Even if it's just on the screen or only for five minutes. Her sister can see her again. Her parents can kiss their fucking asses and beg for her mercy. She can have fame and fortune, even for just a little bit.  
  
She have to thank Keebo for that.  
  
~~~  
  
Himiko needed to tell Nanami about this. About joining the old game that scarred her for life. They were old friends, she and they. Himiko really liked Nanami, but she was about joining. Danganronpa, she just had to laugh.  
  
How the hell do people get obsessed with this shit game? She never sympathizes those who participates in this. She just had to pretend she's an innocent person in the auditions. No, she's already seen as an innocent person.  
  
Just why are people so idiotic? Himiko witnessed Momota blackmail Ouma into joining a game he doesn't like. Fuck them. They're such asses they can't even remember their names. Especially that bitch Akamatsu. Tormenting them just because they don't fit into this school? Bullshit.  
  
It's just a damn show. No need to force someone to go fucking join it. She felt bad for Ouma. She was the only person who knew the truth. Oh well. Nothing she can do about it now. Not like she cares.  
  
She wanted to join this accursed show so she can receive clear answers to why everyone likes Danganronpa.  
  
~~~  
  
Korekiyo just had enough of his home life. With a sister that seemed distant to him after participating in Danganronpa 51, a suicidal mother, and a coping father, he had had enough of this lifestyle. The reason he wore this mask was to not breathe the sickening air inside his house.  
  
He has to work for his family. No wonder he follows Kaito and his lackeys everywhere. Because they were the ones that bring him the jobs, and give him money. He wasn't interested in their victims, but he felt pity for them.  
  
Iruma was the only one who he befriended in Kaito's group. Though she cussed a lot, she can understand what Kiyo's been through. They meet up in the park whenever Kiyo has a hole in his schedule. He would tell her everything, and she lets Kiyo cry on her shoulder. What a good friend.  
  
No. More than just a friend. A best friend. Kiyo blinked. No. He fell in love with Iruma. How did that happen?  
  
Yes, she is part of his gang, but who cares? She may be... impulsive, but she is a pleasant company to have. A dirty person, but alright. He's going to confess to her before he and she joins Danganronpa.  
  
He wanted to have a family of his own, to leave his real family behind. All he had to do was confess to Iruma. No. That won't happen. Maybe she doesn't even like him that way. Maybe she'll stop talking to him after he confessed to her.  
  
Maybe she'll treat him the way she used to treat him.  
  
Kiyo removed a flower from his garden. His sister was in love with flowers. Maybe, if there's still enough time, he can confess his love to Iruma.  
  
What was his desire again?  
  
~~~  
  
Miu wanted to hold hands with Kiyo on the last day, before the auditions for Danganronpa. Why did she fall for the strange man anyway? He kept wearing that mask, which was making him intimidating.  
  
Miu remembered the first time they met. It wasn't such a romantic sight to begin with. She found Shinguji all beat up in the rooftop of the school. Miu decided to laugh at his misfortune, but ceased when she heard quiet sobbing. It made her reminisce the time she was in her abusive father's house.  
  
Miu felt pity for the boy and asked if he was okay. Of course, Shinguji was hostile with her, because of obvious reasons. So Miu distanced herself from Shinguji, until a school project forced them to work together.  
  
It was a rocky relationship at first. They'd bicker and fight over little things. One time she poured hot coffee onto Shinguji. This resulted to him getting burns and being rushed into the nurse's office. Miu, regretting what she did, went to the nurse and saw Shinguji talking to his family.  
  
Miu found out who Shinguji was. He was the sister of the old famous Keiko Shinguji, from Danganronpa 51. Keiko Shinguji was the Ultimate Illustrator. She survied up to the end with another girl named Shirogane Tsumugi. Keiko played a very important role in the first and fifth trial. Miu can say she was a big fan of Keiko.  
  
They formed a friendship who knows when. Miu can't remember how she fell for him. They walk to school together, eat together, even do Shinguji's work together. Miu never expected to fall in love with him.  
  
Why is she going to join Danganronpa?  
  
~~~  
  
 _Kaede, why are you so impulsive?_ Her mother's thoughts ran across her mind. When she was a child, she was mistreated for being an adopted child of two women. Kaede hated them for it. Kirigiri Kyoko and Ludenberg Celestia. Those were their damn names. She had a twin, named Kaguya Kirigiri, who took Kyoko's name. Kaede wanted nothing to do with her parents. That's why she named herself.  
  
She was a very impulsive child, she had to confess. She bullied others in her new school so she can defend herself. Kaede never let her parents pick her up from school. She would always walk home, with a cutter on her hand. She was very cautious.  
  
One time, she got caught by the police after stabbing a grown man on the shoulder. It was his fault, not hers. He tried to harass her. Why the hell was she in the police station when he did if first? She doesn't care if that asshole was injured.  
  
While waiting for her parents, she watched what was in the television. It was the ninth season of Danganronpa. She grew attached to the series. Kaede asked Kirigiri about this, and she didn't respond. She then asked Celestia. Celestia told her and Kaguya that Danganronpa was a killing game.  
  
Kaguya, like any sane person would do, stayed away from the show. But Kaede got hooked up with Danganronpa, and snuck merchandise from the outside. She got caught by Celestia, who showed the merchandise to Kyoko. Kaede wasn't banned from seeing the show, but was not allowed to get a cellphone.  
  
She decided not to tell her parents that she will join the show. If there's a contract, she can forge their signatures then. Then she can be able to join Danganronpa. If they select her.  
  
~~~  
  
Ryoma kept thinking a lot of his older brother in prison. He was arrested for mimicking a murder in Danganronpa. Such crime did not stop the world for loving the show. He was short, so he was always a target for taunting. That is, until he started to show that even though he was short, he can still do damage.  
  
His family's funds were dropping after his brother got arrested. His brother was the richest in the Hoshi family. Without him, the household started to waver. His mother worked morning and night shifts. She hadn't slept for days, until her untimely death, which was in her sleep. His father was an overseas worker, meaning he doesn't see Ryoma very much.  
  
This lead Ryoma to negotiating with Momota, and worked part-time jobs. He had a part-time job in the Amami house being a caregiver. He helped Tojo with her work.  
  
Ryoma doesn't like Momota and the other people in his gang of unruly assholes, but he does find sympathy in Shinguji and Iruma, who are nothing but sheep.  
  
He has always wanted to see his brother in prison. He's never seen him after the incident. He's going to joind Danganronpa, to let his brother be impressed by him, to see his potential in life.  
  
~~~  
  
Kirumi has to be the worst mistress ever. She was a tool used for cheating. She was just a highschool student. She shouldn't be doing this. A boy from her section asked her to get back at a girl named Harukawa. Apparently, said boy was Harukawa's ex. Sort of. Kirumi was a rich girl, she shouldn't even be doing this to herself.  
  
She has the luxury she wanted in her house. But not sexual urges.  
  
She kept her thrist a secret from the others, fearing they'd taunt her. Well, until the boy said it's okay to make their relationship public.  
  
She became the envy of the school. The boys that always liked her, will never have a chance to be with her since she's already in a 'relationship'. Girls envied her because she already had a boyfriend. Even Akamatsu taunts her in secret, saying she was just being used.  
  
She was right.  
  
The boy only used her to get back at Harukawa, who doesn't even show that she gives a fuck. To add what he's been doing to her, her forces Kirumi to fuck him, which was really messed up. Of course she hates it. But does she have a choice?  
  
The boy threatened her that if she tell anyone about this, the secret about them will surface through the school. It will ruin her reputation.  
  
She's going to join the show so she can escape every single one of her problems. Kirumi doesn't care if she gets traumatized. That'll be much better than being used as a toy.  
  
~~~  
  
Tenko is such a mess. She's messed up. No way is Yumeno going to fall in love with her. She's made of everything she hates. Oh well. She'll just stop caring anyway. She's going to go in the show and impress her.  
  
If they still remember. Obviously they won't.  
  
Tenko is sick of seeing herself messing people's lives. She can't fathom looking at herself on the mirror. It's not like she cared if she's pretty or not. But she would care on what Yumeno sees in her.  
  
She wants a new character. A new life. A new past. Because that's what she always wanted. Right?  
  
Wrong.  
  
Yes, she does want a new life, but it costs her health and emotions when she's in the show. She knows it's a virtual world but still. Virtual reality can make you mad. Like the time where a guy went on a killing spree and almost killed people by shooting just because he thought he was still in a game where you shoot people.  
  
That might be Danganronpa's virtual reality case as well.  
  
She had met a couple of those Danganronpa characters in a convention. She talked the most to Shinguji Korekiyo's sister, Keiko Shinguji. She fangirled so hard when she met her.  
  
 _"It's such an honor to meet someone like you!"_  
  
 _"Really? I'm just here to get my money."_  
  
They kept in touch afterwards, and that was why she let Shinguji Korekiyo in. Not because of his skills, but because of Keiko.  
  
The way Keiko said that she was there to get her money was empty. Tenko can see it in her eyes as well. Despair swirling in her eyes, the hope shining when she smiles...  
  
Like all Danganronpa characters, she was a mix of hope and despair. Nothing else. Tenko knew that was a side effect on staying in the virtual world too long. That's why Danganronpa took breaks. To let the characters rest for a little.  
  
Tenko hoped it would be like that too.  
  
~~~  
  
Gonta hates being the top of the class. He was getting tired of the lifestyle of being completely smart and praised. To be relied on. He wants to be treated like a person that has average smarts. He won't look like a god to them.  
  
Whenever Momota asks him to party with the others, he obliged. Momota was one of the people who treat him like he's a person, not a god. To prove this point, Momota never asks him about what he doesn't know. He also taunts him, like he's someone lower than him.  
  
Sometimes Gonta would break down in his room or in the bathroom, with pills in his hands. He vomitted and puked the remains of his stomach whenever he was alone. Nagisa Shingetsu, his housekeeper, always overheard him crying. Gonta knows that Shingetsu always hears him, but he doesn't care.  
  
If he joins Danganronpa, maybe he could forget everything that's happened in the real world. Maybe Danganronpa will turn him to another person. Someone unappreciated. Someone not bright. Someone who doesn't understand their surroundings.  
  
He smiled at the thought. He will be someone they'd never appreciate.  
  
~~~  
  
Rantaro is hiding everything from Angie with a smile. He can't tell anyone, since Shirogane threatened him not to. He remebered the times he had with everyone at home; especially Ouma.  
  
He didn't realized he fell for him after their fight, but after he joined Danganronpa. This was a feeling of despair. Or maybe of sadness? He wasn't use to saying any other word that deals with emotions, only hope and despair.  
  
He really hated those words. He remembered the times he was obsessed with Danganronpa, but not anymore, after what it had done to him and his comrades. He can't even call them friends. Who knows why.  
  
After the game, they lost contact with each other. Probably to live a better life.  
  
Now Rantaro really wants to see Kokichi again. Even if he's not himself. Because he also isn't himself either.  
  
He can't remember all his sisters'names. Their faces were fuzzy. All his memories before Danganronpa were fuzzy. And the most heartbreaking of them all, was that he can't remember his face. The face of the person he loves. Before he left his home.  
  
Rantari felt sick. He's becoming friends with Keebo. Even though he longed to have another friend, he felt guilty leaving Ouma behind.  
  
He felt guilty for leaving his life behind.  
  
~~~  
  
Tsumugi has to create the the best cast ever. Keebo told her that he had asked his father a favor. A favor about letting all of his friends participate in Danganronpa. He must've cared for them then.  
  
Tsumugi saw pictures of he and his friends, though they are not pleasant. Seriously, why were they bullying people? They're bad influence to her brother. How did Keebo even end up with them?  
  
Anyway, she was told by her father that she needed to participate in the game. Again. She told him for the past two games that she didn't want to participate. But no, her father never listens to his daughter. She ended up crying in her room, sobbing uncontrollably. Keebo always caught her crying, and goes to comfort her. It didn't work.  
  
There was her stepbrother that she fell in love with. Yet he was five years older than her, and acted like the older brother. She still hasn't confessed to them yet, which was disheartening.  
  
She was asked by her father to create a cast that everyone will either love or hate. Tsumugi was looking into their profiles, every single one. She can't make the whole cast yet. She still needs their audition tapes.  
  
It's hard working for Danganronpa. Especially when you're in charge of making the most irresistible batch of casts.  
  
~~~  
  
Keebo can wait until Danganronpa 53 started. Or, v3, since that's what Tsumugi calls the new series. He already told his father that he wanted his friends (and enemies) to be chosen as the Danganronpa characters. Of course, they still need to wait until their auditions.  
  
Keebo scratched his neck. It was still filled with Ouma's fingernails. Even though that was two weeks ago. It was healing rather fast, fortunately.  
  
He shouldn't have toyed with Ouma's emotions. Momota and the others were in the wrong, to be honest. They were at fault for what Ouma became.  
  
Tsumugi vaguely mentioned that he was also going in the virtual world to 'monitor' them. What does that even mean?  
  
Tsumugi's statement must be a clue to how he'll be playing in the cast. But why would he need to monitor others in the virtual world? They can do that themselves, right? Or maybe Tsumugi has something else planned.  
  
~~~

 

Ouma breathed in and out. He was escorted into the car by two unknown men, claiming they're staff from Danganronpa. It's time for the auditions.  
  
He's ready, right? Ouma sat at the back of the car, far from anyone in the vehicle.  
  
He looked out the window. It was a blur of color, as the car moved faster. He can see the houses lining up the road, he looked at the rearview mirror. He can see his house that he's leaving behind. Along with his parents.  
  
"How far is the Team Danganronpa headquarters?", Ouma asked one of the staff.  
  
"About four hours away", one replied.  
  
Ouma stayed silent after that, not even bothering to start a conversation with anyone in the car in particular.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't worry, their auditions will be in the next chapter  
> o god there's a lot of typos  
> probably because i was typing these chapters on my phone  
> actually not-virtual ouma is 5'3 and a half in this AU  
> oh and also past me got lazy with doing the countdown on the last three days  
> shh


	5. a update

okay you know what I don't how auditions work

and i already made the sequel of this hell hole

i might write the auditions at some later time, but not today, 'cause this story, is literally done.

the third chapter (bonus), took me three weeks to finish, so i'm not gonna go waste my time on another chapter.

BECAUSE THIS STORY IS DONE.

i made a sequel, it's already in my drafts, but to make you feel a little hype for the auditions, here's supposed to be the REAL ending of chapter 3, other than ouma driving to the danganronpa building.

They finally reached the headquarters, and Ouma was half-awake. The car stopped softly, so Ouma perked up, fully awake now. The door to his side came open, and a man took him by the hand and guided him into the building. Ouma was going to tell him he doesn't need to escort him, but didn't have the strength to do that.

"You will be escorted to an isolated room", one of the men said. "So you don't have contact with the others. Wait until the one who'll interview you arrives."

"Sure." This was good. He won't see anyone for god knows how long. But he's impatient. He doesn't want the one interviewing him be late.

Ouma was sent to a dark room, with only the a cande illuminating in the dark. It was fine. Only for him, though. The men locked the room.

Ouma surveyed the room with only the candle. It was mostly empty, except for a chair in the middle, and a window on one of the corners. The walls were stone cold, and the floors were hard as granite. He sat near the window, not waiting for someone to speak to him.

"So you're also here to audition huh?", a familiar voice found its way to Ouma's ear. He whipped his head to face the window, eyes wide.

"Rantaro? Is that you?", Ouma asked slowly.

Silence in the other side, until the voice spoke again.

"Kokichi...?"

Ouma almost felt like crying, almost. Instead, he smiled, even though his old friend won't see it.

"I missed you", he said.

"Yeah. Me too."

Silence for a moment. No one was trying to save their conversation. Until Amami spoke up again.

"Why are you going to audition for Danganronpa?"

"Blackmail."

"Who the fuck blackmailed you?" Amami's voice was calm, but it has a hint of anger in it.

"People."

"Give me a clear answer, Kokichi."

"Give me a reason why, Rantaro."

"What kind of reason?" This conversation is so slow.

"Why you left everything behind."

Silence from the other side. Ouma can hear Amami tapping his nails on the glass window.

"Fame and fortune?" Amami finally replied to the hanging question.

Ouma sneered to himself.

"Yeah, like everyone here."

"Except for you."

"Yes, except for me."

"Wow."

"Don't say 'wow' in front of me, Rantaro."

"And why is that?"

"Just don't."

Another silence. By now it was getting formulaic.

"Kokichi, I have something I wanted to tell you since I left for Danganronpa."

"What?"

"We've been friends since we were about three years old. You almost got ran over by our car when you were foolishly playing on the road."

Ouma chuckled at that memory. "Yeah. So when you father almost ran me over, you attempted to stop the car. We started a friendship after that."

Tears clouded his vision. He remembered it like it was yesterday. It was surprising he still remember that memory for fifteen years.

"Well, after I joined Danganronpa, I realized that I miss you so much." Ouma can hear Amami crying a little from the window.

"I... I always thought it was so clichè."

"What's clichè?"

"Falling for your best friend."

Silence. Ouma's eyes widened a bit more. Amami... fell for him? Fell in love with him? Ouma thought that Amami will never marry someone. So why...?

"Shocked, I know right?"

Ouma laughed. "No, just processing everything you said."

"Are you really that slow?"

"Nope. Just satisfied."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I liked how you confessed to me in a clichè setting, to be honest."

"Aw, is that all?"

"And I love you too, you motherfucker."

"We would kiss if there wasn't a window blocking us." Amami tapped the window with one of his fingernails.

~~~

The damn person that was going to question him was late for about an hour. He scoffed as he saw what she was wearing. She was wearing a costume that Enoshima Junko wore. It made him laugh.

"Why the hell are you dressed up like that?", he asked the girl.

"To hide my identity", the girl replied, then sat on the only chair in the room. She was holding a pen and a clipboard.

"So, what's your first question?"

"Eager much, aren't you?", the girl said.

"That's probably because you were late for about an hour."  
"Well, I apologize for the matter", the girl said sternly. "I was busy interviewing the others."  
Ouma waited for the question going to be asked by the girl.  
"Here's the first question", she spoke up. "What's your name, who are your parents, where do you live, you know, the same old same old."  
Ouma spewed out all his personal information.  
"How did you come to know Danganronpa?"  
"Heard it from my parents. Watched one chapter."  
"And how did you feel about that chapter you watched?"  
"I hate everything about it."  
"That's what newbies say to Danganronpa all the time", the girl scoffed. "But then they got obsessed with the whole damn show. How is Danganronpa for you now?"  
"I hate everything about it."  
Silence. The girl cleared her throat, writing on her clipboard.  
"Then why did you audition for this?"  
"I got blackmailed."  
The girl nodded. "Ah. Alright. Anyway, what would you do to the money when you finally get it?"

Ouma shrugged. "I don't really know. I'd probably conserve it, just in case."

"What makes you so... special, from the others?"

Ouma looked at the lady, and sighed. "Nothing much, really, but I can tell if someone's lying or not."

"I see. What are your goals in Danganronpa?"

Ouma thought about it for a moment, his mind going blank. "I'd probably be the mastermind."

The girl blinked, clearly surprised by his answer. "M-mastermind?"

"Why are you stammering?", Ouma asked. "If I'll be the mastermind, everyone will treat me like a villain, and be cautious of who I am. I don't really care if I lose or whatever, but it is your choice on how you write me. Don't make me feel remorse, make me sadistic, make me whatever you want to be." Ouma lowered his voice. "Personally, I want to be a victim of Chapter 1. I don't get to do anything at all. The least important person dies in Chapter 1, amirite?"

"Why would you want to be a Chapter 1 victim, then?"

"To... get off the game early."

The girl writes on her clipboard. "I-I see. You can wait for your escorts to show up, I'm now going to the other people who're going to audition."

"Well, I don't care." Ouma closed the door, darkness consuming him once again.

this was NOT ouma's real audition scene. i modified it 'cause it wasn't good enough. so you get a half-assed work.

i'll be uploading the sequel tomorrow.

it's sitting on my drafts sadly

**Author's Note:**

> I'll like give you the idea on why I did this shit
> 
>  
> 
> Okay so I was like, 'Oh wow v3 people must be messed up in real life' so I wrote this with my own personas for them
> 
>  
> 
> And I was like, 'What if Tsumugi was lying saying that everyone totes died IRL'
> 
>  
> 
> And then, 'Totes virtual world'
> 
>  
> 
> Then this shit happens
> 
>  
> 
> Kokichi Ouma and Maki Harukawa: Since they hate each other a lot in the v3 thing, I made them like total besties
> 
>  
> 
> v3 as Virtual Reality: TSUMUGI WAS LYING GODDAMNIT I'LL EXPLAIN IN FINAL CHAPTER WHENEVER THAT IS
> 
>  
> 
> Rantaro Amami and Kokichi Ouma: Besties
> 
>  
> 
> Kaito Momota: I saw that he was a psychopath so I was like, "Bully in this fanfic!"
> 
>  
> 
> Pre-game personalities: I thought up most of them so please kill me
> 
> New drinking game: Take a shot when someone says Danganronpa
> 
> I'll kill myself later


End file.
